With many of us working from living rooms and kitchen tables, trying to juggle the daily responsibilities of work with the addition of household duties and family life due to the lockdowns ordered in the wake of the outbreak of the coronavirus, WFH has quickly become part of the new normal.
With non-essential businesses and most coworking spaces closed, the office has become wherever a laptop can sit. And now, some of North Texas’ innovators are using that ingenuity to create clever WFH setups.
NTX Inno has been putting out calls in the daily Beat and on social media, asking for photos of their setups to do a WFH version of our regular Office Envy feature. We’ve collected some of the best below, along with some sage wisdom of how to stay sane and productive during these uncertain times, to help uplift your lockdown blues.
Marco Johnson, Sparkyard Network Builder and assistant director of entrepreneurship at UNT Health Science Center
- Improvisation is key! I live in a one-bedroom apartment with my wife and two cats with no separate work space, so I had to commandeer the breakfast bar and prop my computer up on a wooden box that I made to hold my vinyl records. The good news is that I finally have a standing desk!
- Healthy distractions: Cats provide a good excuse to take a break and get away from the computer for a bit. Our two cats are a bit too demanding of my time and taking advantage of the fact that I’m easily distracted, but they’re certainly not complaining.
- Lunch break: being at home I finally take a proper lunch break whereas when I’m at the office I often eat and work, or watch Tim and Eric videos on YouTube.
- Stay in touch: keeping in touch with colleagues and friends during the day is key. I work better when I can bounce ideas off of people and I’ve found that most people are receptive to random calls during the day.
- Keep a routine: I like the structure that comes from following my usual morning routine, so I’m getting ready for work as I normally would, but now I have a little extra time to make pancakes for breakfast or do something else that’s a treat.
Cameron Cushman, director of innovation ecosystems at UNT Health Science Center
- Bike rides with the kids are a great way to practice social distancing, burn some energy and get out of the house.
- Setting up a home office to reflect my work office made a big difference in my productivity. Working from the kitchen table, couch or guest room just wasn’t the same. But once I got my standing desk set up at home, my productivity skyrocketed.
Andy Chen, senior VP of +1 Labs at Match Group
Make sure you have a dedicated workspace set up. Try to avoid working from areas for sleep and relaxation if possible, such as the bedroom or couch. Working in a space with natural light is also helpful for keeping yourself alert.
Working from home can create a lot of distractions, so try and stick to an office hours schedule. Everyone’s schedule will be different. Communicate with your roommates, family members, or partner about when your office hours are and request to be left alone during those times. If you have a door you can shut that signifies you are in the office, do so.
Eat how you normally would at the office and avoid unhealthy snacking that will make you sluggish.
Get dressed, shower, maintain proper hygiene as you usually would when going into the office. On the days I get lazy about my appearance when working from home, I feel my productivity levels drop significantly.
Take breaks throughout the day to stretch, eat, and go outside for fresh air. However, don’t let yourself fall into time-consuming household tasks, like folding laundry or vacuuming, just because you are home. Complete chores at times you normally would if you were in the office.
Renee Cossman, founder and CEO of Cossman PR
- Define your office space; turn it into a space you love. Preferably with windows!
- Need to be creative? Let inspiration strike while going for a walk, watering outdoor plants…heck, cleaning the pool.
- Read the Beat to Cody, the GSP (German Short-Haired Pointer) you’re dog sitting. (Why not add another kid to the mix?!)
Dresden Goldberg, director of programs and operations at UTD's Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
And since we're all in this together, here's one from me (who is still writing NTX Inno's Beat from a temporary blanket fort HQ).
As for my advice, I can't think of anything better than the wise words given to the great Bill and Ted during their excellent adventure: "Be excellent to each other."
