PPB June 2020

health and mental wellbeing. Not only is this great for the employee’s state of mind, but it also helps the environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. We saw evidence of this early in the pandemic crisis response, with cleaner air in several major cities across the globe. For all the perks that come with working remotely, the biggest difficulty reported amongst telecommuters is finding a balance between work and home life. When your office is just a few feet away, it can be difficult to unplug. Here are some tips on how to draw and maintain the line between work and home. 1 Reserve Space Most importantly, establish a space to work. Conditioning yourself to adapt to specific surroundings that signify it’s time to work will help fill the absence of your morning commute. Try to mirror the setup that you had at your office, including the placement of your monitor and keyboard. If you were able to grab a few things off your desk before relocating at home, keep those in view for a familiar note. Clear your work area of anything that isn’t work-related, tidy it regularly and don’t use that space for anything else. Communicate with your cohabitants and draw boundaries for your workspace and the hours you’ll be keeping. If more than one person in your household is working from home, do your best to have a distinct workspace for everyone. For example, my husband works upstairs while I’m downstairs. A coworker works in the kitchen while her kids do their schoolwork in the dining room. Give everyone advance warning for any conference calls, especially those that may involve your webcam, and invest in noise-cancelling headphones, if possible. 2 Set Expectations It’s important to establish ground rules and a routine. Discuss with your manager what hours you’re expected to keep and put together a plan of action for how to communicate when you’re working. Communicate these times to any direct reports or teammates who depend on you and stick to them as best you can. Wake up in the mornings at the same time you would if you were going to the office, maintain your typical morning routine, and when it comes time to begin work, dress for the occasion. It’s easy to argue against this when nobody will see you (except on videoconferences), but when you look good, you feel good, and that confidence will carry over into your work. There’s also a significant benefit to your mental outlook when you change out of your pajamas— and you’ll never be caught in a hoodie for a surprise video call. 3 Take Time for You It can be tempting to skip breaks or skimp on your lunch hour when you’re in the zone. Upcoming Virtual Opportunities To Connect Working remotely means that maintaining a connection with peers is more important than ever. This month, PPAI will be launching a SPARK Video Chat Session for young industry professionals to connect virtually with their peers. Participants will be placed in breakout rooms for small group discussions on the topic of their choosing. Plus, a free SPARK Virtual Conference is planned for July 16, which will be an engaging and interactive innovation workshop providing participants with actionable content that can be applied to their companies and future collaboration. For more information on both of these virtual events, check out ppai.org/spark. For all the perks that come withworking remotely, the biggest difficulty reportedamongst telecommuters is finding a balance betweenwork and home life. | JUNE 2020 | 75 THINK