Calm in the storm

Living and working during a global pandemic is new to everyone. The executive team of Edmonton-based Leibel Insurance Group shares their best advice about how to work from home successfully. – As told to Adam Malik

Create a routine. That’s the first thing you want to establish when you work from home.

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed almost everything, and everyone is making adjustments to cope. But having that routine gets you off on the right foot.

Start by getting dressed every morning in your typical office attire. When we work from home on a random day, sweatpants are an easy go-to. That’s fine for a day or two, but getting fully dressed every morning helps maintain that feeling of being at the office.

Don’t sleep in. It’s tempting to think that you can get an extra hour of sleep knowing you don’t have traffic to fight through on your commute down the hall or wherever you’ve set up your home office. But sleeping in can creep up on you. You’ll sleep in a little more and a little more unless you create that routine of getting up at the same time every day. Also, add this to your routine: Reach out to a colleague every morning. It can be by phone or email. Just stay connected. It’s fine if they don’t respond right away. You want that regular communication with people you used to see everyday to avoid feeling isolated.

It’s important to plan out your whole week ahead of time. Schedule any meetings or appointments early on. It’s easier to follow a routine if you have a schedule. It can really help plan your week out and give you something to look forward to.

Remember to find a quiet space and stick to it throughout the day. If you have kids at home or other family members, find an area where you can close the door and separate yourself from them. You want to make sure you’re comfortable at home, and that starts with having a routine.