{"id":6531,"date":"2020-10-05T07:57:26","date_gmt":"2020-10-05T07:57:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.jobs.lu\/news\/?p=6531"},"modified":"2020-10-08T11:47:12","modified_gmt":"2020-10-08T11:47:12","slug":"help-im-working-from-home-how-to-deal-with-meetings-children-and-other-obstacle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/en.jobs.lu\/news\/help-im-working-from-home-how-to-deal-with-meetings-children-and-other-obstacle\/","title":{"rendered":"Help \u2013 I\u2019m working from home! How to deal with meetings, children and other obstacle"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading Time: <\/span> 4<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

The unprecedented coronavirus measures have resulted in a record number of people working from home. So, for anyone who\u2019s working from home for the first time, and for employers who\u2019ve been obliged to introduce teleworking, here\u2019s a summary of our top tips!<\/p>\n

Table content :<\/h1>\n

Tip 1 \u2013 Try to structure your day<\/h3>\n

Tip 2 \u2013 Efficient meetings<\/h3>\n

Tip 3 \u2013 Keep on communicating<\/h3>\n

Tip 4 \u2013 Take good care of yourself<\/h3>\n

Tip 5 \u2013 Ignore your household chores during the day<\/h3>\n

Tip 6 \u2013Working\u00a0 from home with children<\/h3>\n

Tip 7 \u2013 Employers: trust your employees and be understanding<\/h3>\n

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<\/i><\/a><\/a>Tip 1 \u2013 Try to structure your day<\/h2>\n

Working from home allows you to divide up your day in a more flexible and practical way. Yet home workers find it most efficient to impose a fixed working structure upon themselves, with bigger blocks of concentrated work, and a few longer breaks in between.\u00a0Be sure to start your day with a shower and don\u2019t work in your pyjamas.<\/strong>\u00a0This will immediately get you into more of a work mindset.<\/p>\n

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<\/i><\/a><\/a>Tip 2 \u2013 Efficient meetings<\/h2>\n

Ask yourself whether 17 people really need to take part in a meeting. Put together your meetings as practically as possible and use digital tools that work well. At StepStone we regularly use\u00a0BlueJeans<\/a>,\u00a0Microsoft Teams<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Slack<\/a>.\u00a0Google Hangouts<\/a>,\u00a0Zoom<\/a>\u00a0and (made in Belgium)\u00a0Vectera<\/a>\u00a0are also well-known online communication tools.\u00a0Actively involve all participants in the meetings and avoid people adopting a passive attitude during the meeting.<\/strong>\u00a0You can use the 5-minute rule for this: every 5 minutes, check what someone thinks, whether someone has any other ideas, etc.\u00a0Is there someone that can\u2019t make it? Record the meeting and send a short report with concrete decisions and a to-do list to all participants immediately afterwards.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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<\/i><\/a><\/a>Tip 3 \u2013 Keep on communicating<\/h2>\n

When you\u2019re working from home, communicate even more regularly than in the office.<\/strong>\u00a0Not to prove that \u2018you are actually working\u2019, but to avoid misunderstandings and to ensure that you don\u2019t become lonely and isolated. Make sure that you keep everyone involved informed.\u00a0Don\u2019t send extremely long emails, but keep things short and to the point.<\/strong>\u00a0Compile a brief update on your work for your manager every week. Many teams use the free tool\u00a0Trello<\/a>\u00a0for efficient project management.\u00a0As a manager, this gives you a handy overview of how the project is progressing and who is doing which tasks.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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<\/i><\/a><\/a>Tip 4 \u2013 Take good care of yourself<\/h2>\n

Stay healthy while you\u2019re working from home.<\/strong>\u00a0Schedule regular breaks. Make sure that you stay active. Keep away from sugary foods, but stock up on fresh fruit, dried fruits and nuts to snack on. Get out in the fresh air every day.\u00a0Take advantage of the time that\u2019s been freed up by not having to commute.<\/strong>\u00a0Also make sure you don\u2019t go to bed too late.<\/p>\n

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<\/i><\/a><\/a>Tip 5 \u2013 Ignore your household chores during the day<\/h2>\n

Set aside fixed times in your work schedule to possibly do household tasks<\/strong>. Make sure that you stay fully focused when you\u2019re concentrating on work, and don\u2019t keep heading to your dishwasher, washing machine, messy cupboards or vacuum cleaner.\u00a0Plan these tasks ahead of time for mental peace of mind.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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<\/i><\/a><\/a>Tip 6 \u2013 Working from home with children<\/h2>\n

It is virtually impossible to focus on work whilst simultaneously minding your children<\/strong>. But now that schools are closed and people are obliged to work from home, we have no choice but to do this to the best of our ability. Are there two adults at home? If so,\u00a0take it in turns to mind the children. The parent that\u2019s in their \u2018work bubble\u2019 that day should be left in peace as much as possible.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Are you at home alone with your children and do you also have to work?\u00a0In that case, plan out a programme for your children<\/strong>\u00a0(for example use Maison Slash\u2019s\u00a0handy planner<\/a>) with tasks, assignments and games, and make it their responsibility to complete their tasks successfully. Children love structure and ticking off lists or colouring in to-do lists.<\/p>\n