Well hello there and how are you doing? I know many of us have had to pivot the way we do things right now during the COVID-19 quarantine. We are adapting in ways we’ve never before imagined because after all, we can’t live on pause forever.

Some of us are fortunate to be able to still work, operate business or continue our education using the internet.  Zoom chat rooms and remote server connections make it possible for many industries to continue working off location, something that would be unheard of just a decade or two ago.

Working from home can be a gift in so many ways. We can create our own schedule, save time commuting and show up in our yoga pants!

But working from home also has its challenges. It takes a lot of discipline to stay focused and not get side tracked by the neighbor mowing the lawn, the kids rough-housing in the other room or even scrolling through your Instagram feed and suddenly realizing you just lost an hour of productive work time looking at funny cat videos or my favorite Pluto video. If you haven’t seen this one yet, you HAVE to check it out!

I remember clearly what it was like when my girls were little. I really wanted to stay home with my kids but I also wanted and needed to keep working. We had a growing business and there were just some duties that I needed to continue doing.

I couldn’t wait to work from home thinking this will be so easy! I will have more time and be able to be with my daughters.

But I discovered quickly that working from home, especially with small children, had a set of challenges all its own.

While the girls got me up at the same early morning time each day, it was very easy to stay in my pajamas and read books or play with the kids before getting to work in my office. The next thing I knew it was lunch time and I still hadn’t gotten to work, let alone taken a shower!

I learned that I needed more than just a plan because plans can be easily changed. Instead I needed something more concrete – a way of moving through my day successfully

What I needed was an actual protocol for how to work from home.

A protocol is simply a procedure for completing and mastering a task. It’s more set in stone than a plan because it is the “how to” instructions to accomplish your goals. It should be written and known by the people directly affected by it. In this case, those people might be your partner, your kids and possibly your employer or people who depend on you professionally. A protocol to work from home needs to be realistic and attainable, considering your individual circumstances.

Here are my top tips for how you can establish your

WORK FROM HOME SURVIVAL PROTOCOL

Determine A Morning Routine– This may include time to feed the kids and help small children get dressed, to exercise, meditate or walk the dog before going to work.

I like to be up by 6am, take care of my morning chores, exercise for 45 min to an hour and be “at work” by 9am when I’m working from home. And let me tell you this takes discipline for me! It is easy to get side tracked but I feel best when I stick to my protocol.

Establish Your Work Schedule – Determine the time that you want or need to be “at work”. At this time you will go to your office, spare bedroom or wherever your workspace is set up. Make it known to those in your household that this is work time and also let them know what time you will be able to take a break and spend time with them, answer questions, make lunch or attend to their needs.

If you have small kids enroll them in the plan by having them make a sign that says “Mom (or Dad) is Working”. Let them hang it on the door for you. They should know and understand that when the sign is on the door, you need private, uninterrupted time unless of course there is an emergency.

Depending on the age of your children, you may need to establish shorter increments of work time. If you and your partner are both working from home, work out a plan to trade off time to care for the kids and time to work.

Define Your Big 3 – At the beginning of your work week, establish the 3 most important work related tasks you want or need to get done this week. Prioritize time for these in your work schedule and guard this time like a hawk! Mid-week check into make sure you are on track to complete these goals or tasks. If not, make the adjustments needed to insure you get them done.

Set Time Limits – Be careful about spending too much time on tasks that are not productive. It is very easy to get side tracked when checking your business social media and email accounts.  Determine the time of day you will be checking and responding to these forms of communication and limit the time. Set a timer if needed to keep you on track so that you can get back to productive work. I check my email and social platforms when I first arrive to work in the morning and allow 30 to 45 minutes to respond to emails, comments and DM’s.

Just Do It – The Nike slogan Just Do It is a great reminder to stop making excuses and just get it done already! Often we procrastinate by filling are time with tasks that might be important but they are not what we should be working on at that moment.

For example, when I sat down to write this article, I started thinking of all the things I “should” go do. I could put a load of laundry on because it can be washing while I work. Or I forgot to take something out of the freezer for dinner so I will just go do that. And, while I am in the kitchen maybe I will reheat yet another cup of coffee and unload the dishwasher.

Do you see how quickly those things you think you “should” be doing are really getting in the way of doing what really matters?

When we are physically going to work at a business location, we arrive, we have a schedule, and we have an expectation of what needs to be done by the end of the day. But when we are home, it is easy to procrastinate and avoid getting started.

Stick to the schedule you’ve established and show up for work on time each day.

Be Present – The last and most important tip is to be truly present in all things you do. When you are with your family, fully engage with them, give them your full attention and avoid thinking about what’s going on at work. Your family knows when you are mentally not with them. A few minutes of quality time goes along way.

When you are working, BE at work fully focused and productive. You will find that you will likely get through projects faster and more accurately when you are not distracted.

Well, I hope that helps. Create a protocol that will work for you and your family. Keep in mind that even though you are walking into the spare bedroom you are still “going to work”.

Be well my friend,

Lacee