Don’t ignore the “HOME” in WFH

Since the ‘shelter in place ’ request in California was initiated and WFH (working from home) has become a more common situation for many of us, I have read several articles on how we can be more productive, stay connected, be more collaborative, show your kids and pups in meetings, and even went through a full training module on how to effectively WFH.

I don’t want to be a preacher here with more tips, but I would like to point out a different perspective on this. Most of the time, when we talk about WFH, Home is in context as the other place you are temporarily working from while you are not in the office. In a normal situation, you may lock yourself in your den morning to evening to do your work sincerely and spend time with family in the evenings, and they might not even be at home during the day. You may have set a WFH routine, and your family knows that. I can guess that even the family members respect your working hours when you are at home and may wait to interact.

However, the norm has changed in the past few weeks. We are home all the time and working from home for extended hours. With this revised norm, don’t ignore the word “Home” in the “Work from Home.” Remember, you may or may not be used to WFH, but your family may not be used to it. It’s not just about you being at home all the time; it is about them (kids and working spouse) being at home all the time as well or seeing you at home all the time.

As always, there are two sides to the coin. Here, one is that your loved ones may crave your attention more than before. Or maybe staying apart through the day gives you enough space for a deeper reconnect when you come back home. I would recommend assessing your situation as it is very important thing to do before you make the rules for your new WFH routine. Feel free to change your WFH style for the time being.

I observed my colleagues readjusting their WFH for this extraordinary situation. I have a colleague who shares his desk with kids and wife together. While another colleague separates herself as she has to be often on calls, but then during her breaks, she goes and checks on her family. Another colleague has shared the garage space between the office and the play area.

I share my desk with my wife and go to a different room when we have to. I use the Pomodoro technique to stay focused and finish my tasks. We have placed a coffee mug on our desk, and when it’s upside down, it means busy and DND :). It helps us not disturb each other and respect each other’s work time. This way, I am not confined to my room while I am confined to my home.

You are not alone in this; your family and colleagues are in it too. So don’t just occasionally bring them on camera. Plan how you can collaborate and connect with your family while you WFH as you plan to do so with your teams remotely.