Tips for working from home.
Many of us continue to work remotely, both full-time and part-time. We’re all learning new ways to connect, collaborate and make meaningful progress, no matter where we are. Below you’ll find some of the best practices that we’ve found helpful.
Put routines in place.
Get dressed.
It might be tempting to stay in your pyjamas. Yet, by changing into your favourite work-from-home (WFH) clothes, you signal your brain that you’re getting ready for a day at the “office.” Whether you’re planning to design a new web page or make edits to a PDF document, this simple step makes it easy to switch into work mode and be more productive throughout the day.
Set a schedule.
Make a work plan you can stick to and then clearly communicate it to your partner, children and others who live with you. If you’re also blending new homeschooling and childcare duties into your work week, you’re not alone. Make sure that you include these in your daily schedule and set up an “out of office” notification during those times so colleagues know when you’re unavailable.
Take breaks.
Oddly enough, it seems even harder to pull yourself away from the screen when you’re working from home. But it’s essential if you want to avoid WFH fatigue. Build 15-minute breaks into your work schedule, block a half-hour on your calendar for lunch and make sure that you stay hydrated by taking regular water breaks throughout the day.
Move your body.
Commuting, dashing from a photo shoot to a live review, walking to the restaurant around the corner for lunch — these all add steps to your days. When WFH, be mindful of the need to move. Consider starting your work day with a workout. Add “stretch my legs” reminders on your calendar. Budget time for a daily walk. And try standing for a virtual meeting or two each day. Your body will thank you.
Outfit your home office.
Make a space.
Just like getting dressed, it’s important to go with purpose to a designated “office” in your home. It tells your brain it’s time to focus on editing that video, drafting that presentation or analysing the results of your latest campaign. A room of your own is nice to have — with a door you can close, even better — especially if children or pets are home. If that’s not possible, find a corner you can claim as your WFH zone.
Upgrade your gear.
Resist working on the couch or in bed. Use a firm chair, sturdy table and appropriately sized monitor to protect your arms, neck and shoulders. Choose a good headset to make the most of conference calls and cancel unwanted noise — and make sure that you keep it in the same place when not in use so you know right where it is the next time you need it. Finally, find out whether your Internet connection can handle the added WFH load. Check your Internet speed to make sure you’re set up for success.
Keep productivity flowing.
These days, a fantastic array of collaboration tools makes it really easy to stay productive and connected from home. Your team can create and review documents and designs and keep things moving with Adobe Acrobat and Adobe XD. You can hold virtual team meetings with BlueJeans or Zoom and bigger corporate ones with Adobe Connect. Send instant messages to colleagues and teams through Slack. Learn more about how Adobe tools can help you stay connected.
Stay creative from home.
It can be challenging to produce great creative work when you and your team are working remotely. We’ve gathered some of our best tips and tricks to help you to keep your work on track. Whether you’re a paid Creative Cloud subscriber or not, you can access a collection of desktop and mobile apps for creating, sharing and reviewing.
Keep your kids engaged.
Establish a rhythm.
Working at home and schooling at home — at the same time, in the same place — is challenging, to say the least. Just like you need to set a firm schedule for your work day, your children will do best in a “home classroom” that’s organised around a regular rhythm. When designing an environment that meets your family’s unique needs, be sure there’s time to learn, play, create and explore — and don’t forget meals and snacks, too. Learn more about tools from Adobe that can help.
Find activities and projects.
In our ongoing WFH world, you may find yourself searching for distance learning opportunities to share with your children. We hope these resources will help you to discover some great online learning experiences for your kids.
More resources for you.
Contact us.
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