Like many office-based businesses, getting ready to break the chain of COVID-19 was a mad scramble to ensure everyone could carry on as normal (that is, to paraphrase Prince Charles, whatever normal is) and keep working with our clients to ensure that their brands will stay in their customers’ minds while their products/services are temporarily out of action. Stationery, whiteboards, office chairs and computer screens all made their way out of the office in an organised rush before the call to stay safe, stay home came into effect.
Most of the Muritai team have had to create a space in their homes to accommodate our new office and adjust their mindsets in order to create mental separation between home and work, now that there isn’t a physical one. We turned to the internet for advice, where a Google search for “tips for working from home during COVID-19” turned up two hundred and ninety-five million results in the first instance. The gig economy sure has created a lot of experts in a short time!
Each of us at Muritai, however, has a different living situation and personal circumstance and we have quickly discovered that the standard tips for working from home do not necessarily work for everyone. Which is why we thought we would share with you a couple of the things that work for each of our differing needs:
Lee - Chief Marketer & Brand Strategist
- Sharing ideas and working collaboratively is a large part of our marketing day, so ensuring we can do this via a secure connection has been a priority. It has become a daily task to make sure I am up-to-date with the latest security threats. I recently found this guide to keeping meetings secure in New Zealand helpful.
- Recreating the office filing system at home has been just as important as setting up a workspace. In new situations, the brain cannot remember everything, so writing notes during meetings and in some cases, recording the meeting has been extremely helpful.
Jayden - Marketing Coordinator
- I am used to working in a busy environment so I have had to get used to the silence of being the only one in the room. I have found that choosing a radio station where the announcers are in constant chatter has helped fill that void.
- Keeping to the normal routines of a start time, break time, and finishing time has helped me stay on track and in work mode. I also find that having our team meetings at the start of the day helps me get into work mode and creates “a to-do list” of what needs to be achieved that day.
Carolyn - Copywriter
- I have worked from home for the last year so was already well-prepped for lockdown. I like to use an app to record the time spent working on a project. This not only helps me provide an accurate record for clients on the time I spend writing for them, but it also helps keep me focused on the task at hand.
- My home is mostly open plan so having a separate room for the office is not really an option. But, my work desk is strictly that and at the end of the working day, the “work screen” is turned off and the laptop is moved to my entertainment area so there is a clear separation between home and office.
Working with children
None of us has young children at home so the following tips have been borrowed from a mental health professional who has been juggling keeping her children entertained whilst conducting meetings online.
- We have to have our day planned so the girls know when they can come to me with “I’m bored” and when they will have to choose a new activity from the list we created together.
- I’ve had to include more breaks in my work schedule so we can spend time together. My workday may be longer because of it, but I feel less guilty about not being able to spend all of our time staying safe at home together when work needs me too.
Do you have a tip that you would like to share with us and our other clients? Let us know in the comments and we will also make sure it is shared through our social media posts.