Corporate restructuring. It’s a phrase we often hear in these difficult economic times. Corporate restructuring generally occurs when a company or corporation is making significant changes to the ways it does business in order to maintain profits while spending less money. Corporate restructuring is generally described as something that’s good and beneficial to the company. However, corporate restructuring often has a negative impact on people.
I have a number of friends who work for one company. The company’s scope is national and headquartered in a major city. My friends have worked for years in a regional office. Over the last year, there have been many steps taken in the restructuring process. Each step of the restructuring has resulted in lay-offs, requiring remaining the employees (who are already busy) to do more work. Recently, another step was taken in restructuring: the regional office has been closed and all remaining employees now work from their homes. It’s been quite a transition for them.
I have primarily worked from my home for over ten years. As I’ve heard about the transition my friends are going through and the new challenges they experience by working from home, I’ve thought about my own experience. I also suspect that there are many other people who are transitioned out of offices to work from home as part of restructuring plans. Because of this, I thought I’d share some of the lessons I’ve learned that have enabled me to work from home in what I think is a successful way.
Of course, those who have never worked from home always think it would be great to do. While it has positive aspects, there are downsides as well. Working from home on a daily basis can be isolating. There’s no one else around to talk to, to spin ideas with, or to socialize with when on a break. In my setting, it’s rare to have a face-to-face meeting with people. Most of my meetings take place by phone or online. There’s also no one else to help organize the day. Many people who transition to work from home find it difficult to focus and get work done. All those odd jobs around the house or day-time TV suddenly seem interesting. Others have difficulty stepping away from work because the natural boundary between work and home is now lost.
What I’ve found to be most helpful is to structure my day in a way that works best for me. What works best is a way that enables me to focus on work while also keeping a balance on other things. Sometimes, self-motivation begins with working out a basic routine and sticking to it.
I was one of those folks who over-worked when I started working at home. After a few twelve or fourteen hour days working at home, I’d crash and just want to sleep. I knew that had to change. Over time, I built a structure for my day.
Each day, I get up around the same time. True: it doesn’t matter to anyone else if I’m up at 7:00 AM or 9:00 AM. But the regularity of starting the day about the same time is my first step to keep life more balanced.
While I often work at home in a t-shirt and sweat pants because they are comfortable, I also shave in the morning and avoid the common trap of going days without end without a shower and wearing the same clothes. I also take time in the morning for prayer and meditation as a way to center my inner self.
It’s easy to stay in front of the computer for hours on end, especially at home. But I soon came to understand that this was not good for my body. Because of that, I take two or three minute breaks regularly. I may just walk to the kitchen for a glass of water or walk outside to the mail box. But I make sure to move every hour or so.
It’s also important to think ahead to make sure there’s appropriate food in the house for lunch. It’s easy to just work and munch on a bag of junk food rather than have a real lunch. But lunch time is not just a break; it’s also a time for nourishment.
Now to the part I don’t do well enough, but when I do, it makes a world of difference. It’s great in the middle of the afternoon to take 20 to 30 minutes to work out. I have CD’s with aerobic routines and other exercise options at home. When I do a brief work out, I’m refreshed, alert, and finish my tasks more quickly in the afternoon.
Just as I have a typical starting time, I aim for a quitting time. Unless there’s some substantive reason to work later than planned, I’ve learned to let things go to the next day.
When you get right down to it, working well from home is a matter of living with balance. Many people who work from home can find themselves in a rut or slowly move toward depression because of the isolation. But creating balance by a regular routine that takes into account the needs of one’s body and spirit can help make the experience of working from home very creative and engaging. And, yes: not having to commute does create more time in the day.