Just two weeks ago, I got dressed for work, bundled up in a pullover, scarf, coat, gloves and hat. As someone who grew up in south Mississippi, I am still not convinced by my neighbors when they tell me this isn’t a typical New York winter. Although it was not the first time I felt the bone chilling cold, it was the first time it kept my car from starting. The only option I had was to work from home, while I waited for a new part to be delivered to my local car mechanic. I found working at my apartment to be a welcome change of pace, but I had to focus to maintain productivity, while surrounded by the comforts of home. The added effort got me thinking about what it would take to work from home long term. These are my most helpful takeaways.
Protect Sensitive Information
As an aspiring attorney, confidentiality is something I deal with on a daily basis. It is a common part of a growing number of jobs, as many employers seek to protect certain information such as client contact information and personnel files. In a previous newsletter we featured two articles about how to handle confidential information in the office, and why confidentiality is so important. However, we have not addressed handling these concerns from home. It is important to keep your work emails and client information out of the hands of your children, your significant other, your friends or whoever else may be in your home. That way you can preserve the protected status of confidential information.
Create a Separate Space
The psychological impact of working in a space separate from your living space cannot be overstated. You focus more when you are “at work” and you tend to relax more when you are “at home” by creating an artificial partition between the two. This addresses a serious dilemma: you cannot go home to escape; you work there. If you are going to be working from home long term, you need to be able to “close the door,” or otherwise separate your home from your office. That way you can let your family know when you are busy with work, and you can leave work “at the office,” when you are having dinner in the evening.
Keep in Contact with Your Manager
When you are working at home, your boss cannot see your productivity first-hand. This could lead to a situation in which you are judged solely on work product rather than work ethic. By establishing a routine of checking in with you supervisor or partner, you can demonstrate that you are hard at work by giving them a peek into your day.
Maintain Motivation for Advancement
By working remotely, you also lose out on information you would pick up in the break room or around the Keurig. Maybe a position in the department that you really want to work in is opening up, and you would not know about it without talking to your co-workers. The solution is to stay on top of social relationships. It is easy to isolate yourself in your personal palace, but building professional relationships is as important for at-home professionals as it is for those in an office. To achieve career advancement, it is important to cultivate ambition, especially when you are working in such a comfortable environment. Be wary of complacency, and do not let others get ahead while you “stay at home.”