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Work From Home Tips You Didn't Know You Needed

Apr 14, 2020 | Hospital Solutions


Now that we’re well into social distancing and quarantine life, you might have started to hit that work from home slump. It just so happens that our team has worked from home since before the pandemic started—we’re the OG work from homers if you will—and know a thing or two about staying focused and being productive. Here are some tips—that you might not have heard yet—that we recommend for all healthcare marketers in their new office setting.

OFFICE SUPPLIES

We’ve heard it time and time again, but setting up a dedicated workspace at home is key to being productive. We recommend the following items:

  • Noise-canceling headphones. Our team unanimously agreed that a good pair of headphones is their top priority when it comes to productivity. They tune out spouses, kids, loud roommates, you name it. They’re vital to staying focused on a task so that you can get it done more efficiently. Our team loves Bose, but any will do.
  • An additional screen. Plenty of us have two screens in a normal office setting. Now adjusting to life with one screen, it’s hard to know how you ever lived without being able to see two spreadsheets at once. Getting an additional screen will help you work between all those tabs, spreadsheets, emails and Word documents you have open. Our team recommends either of these two: Sceptre 24 ($175) or BenQ EL2870U ($290).
  • Standing desk. Working in healthcare, we sometimes neglect our own health. And that includes sitting for eight hour periods. Sitting all day can be hard on your body. Without the typical office culture of walking over to a coworker’s desk for a chat or heading to a conference room for a meeting, it’s easy to spend the entire day without much movement. We recommend a standing desk to help out your back and your bum. Check out this option that so many members of our team have at home.
  • Planners. You might not have used a planner since school, but our team finds them to be the tried and true way to stay organized. Write down to-do lists of all kinds and stay on top of meetings. Our team loves Clever Fox, Panda Planner or Levenger planners.

ENVIRONMENT

While the screens and gadgets in your workspace are important, a good workspace environment is just as necessary.

  • Dedicated office space. Although it can be difficult to find somewhere in your house dedicated to work, try to set it up in space you normally don’t spend a lot of time in. Avoid your bedroom or living room, if possible. If you live in a studio setting, try to set up at a kitchen table to avoid sitting on your couch all day.
  • Lighting. Make sure that you have ample lighting in any space that you set up. Working in a poorly lit space can make you tired, unmotivated and unfocused.

ROUTINES

Creating and sticking to a routine can be so hard. Falling into the charm of staying in your pajamas or working from your bed can really tank your motivation. Here’s what we recommend for staying out (or getting out) of that slump.

  • Stick to a routine. Yes, this is what this section is all about, but truly getting into that mindset is the best thing for you. Make sure you’re getting up and going through the motions of the routine you would normally do for the office. Did you like to go run before work? Love to have coffee and read the news? Get the kids breakfast and get them out the door? You can still be doing all of those things. If you’ve fallen out of this habit, try setting your alarm 5 minutes earlier every morning so that you can ease into getting back to those before-work activities. Don’t want to change into real clothes? That’s not a problem. Even if you’re working in sweats all day it can be key to at least change into different sweats to make your brain switch over into work mode.
  • Take breaks. No one can focus 24/7 on constant work. Give your brain a break and take your kids, dog or podcast you’ve been meaning to try, on a walk. Play a quick game with your kids, clean out the fridge, do a 15-minute yoga session or workout. Whatever you need to be able to get back your computer and refocus on the task at hand.
  • Drink water. You might not normally be a good water drinker. Or you might drink three glasses an hour. Regardless of your normal habits, it’s still great to make sure you’re getting hydrated. Our team finds that it helps keep you focused and can keep you away from all of the snacking you might be trying to cut back on. We all have our favorite water bottles that help us drink more, but try out a Corkcicle or Soma.

Looking for more resources to ease your life during quarantine? Check out this Op-Med piece