Share Memes With Your Team: A Work From Home Guide by Via Design
Over the last few weeks, many of us have made a fast transition from working in an office, to working from home. We’ve turned dining tables into desks, kitchen counters into standing work stations, and bedrooms into private offices. We’re doing what we can to stay “business as usual” and to feel normal during uncertain times.
As a design firm, our work is hands-on, in the studio. Our team has become fully-remote using virtual tools, like Microsoft Teams, to keep each other connected and to keep our projects moving forward.
From our experience designing workspaces, we know what is effective to boost productivity and motivation inside an office. But what works when you’re home, either alone or alongside a spouse and a household of children? It’s a daily discovery, and we’re learning through experience.
Keep Your Schedule
Working form home makes it easy to roll out of bed and log-on to your computer, but you're going to feel better with a schedule. Get up, get dressed. get your coffee, and go. Get ready for the day knowing you don't have to rush to beat traffic.
Audrey Ferris begins the day with a matcha tea latte and the warm glow of a candle.
Fuel Up
Our office drinks Ferris coffee, a local coffee and gourmet food shop. Their Westside Blend and 1924 Espresso keeps us moving throughout the day. When we realized we would be working from home for the immediate future, more than one of us bid a sad farewell to our espresso machine. (it's not a goodbye, it's a see you later).
Keep it clean and clutter free
There is no evening cleaning crew at home (if there is, can you send us a link?). Clutter creates chaos and chaos creates stress. Keep your working space clear of unnecessary items, and tidy up throughout the day. Clean (or refill) your coffee mug and collect your papers. You probably need a break anyway.
Just because you're home, doesn't mean you shouldn't include personal touches in your work area like you would at your office. Photos. plants, art - whatever it is that inspires you and grounds you - should be displayed as you work from home.
Take a walk
Let's focus on this silver-lining: it's spring! Instead of heading into the break room, you can step outside and enjoy the sun. Walk around the block a few times. If you're used to traffic, enjoy the silence and the sounds of birds. Exercise and nature promotes well-being in our body and mind. You'll come back to our work with renewed energy and focus.
If walking isn't your thing, check out one of the hundreds of free workout videos on Youtube. Get your body moving with a daily physical activity.
Emily Vanderlaan's dog, Buck, sits behind her and is always ready for a walk.
Appreciate your new coworkers
A lot of us are working alongside either a spouse or partner, pets, and children. I'm sure you had the thought "we could never work together." Are you laughing yet? Enjoy this time together and learn from each other. Everyone works differently, and you may learn new skills from working in an environment you share with your family.
Ruby helps mom, Courtney Bishop, with her emails.
Choose a view
If you don't have a window to look out at work, you can choose to have one at home. If you use a laptop, move around your house throughout the day for a change of scenery. A new view can offer new perspectives.
Justin Stone's vintage Steelcase task chair & tanker desk from the 60's.
Craftsman, Garett Miles, sets up his desk near a window in the corner of his workshop.
Share memes with your coworkers
We're going to get through this by doing two things:
1. social distancing.
2. having a sense of humor.
We created a Fun channel in Microsoft Teams to incorporate the breakroom banter we miss so much. We enjoyed this blog from our friends at ITS Partners, and this short video parodying the reality of working from home.
