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Mon January 11 2021, 4:37 // Posted by corvum
5 tips for running your firm working from home
It’s been almost a year since the United States, Canada, and much of the world began locking down and bracing for the COVID-19 pandemic. With the lockdown came the abrupt transition of office work environments to fully remote work, the team at Corvum included.
Some people already have the groundwork for sustaining productive and effective work-from-home models. With the current second wave of the pandemic, work-from-home models are looking to be potential permanent set up for many. It’s important to understand that working from home is a first for many. Multiple blog posts have been posted to the internet regarding effectively working from home. We at Corvum find these 5 tips useful to have a better experience of working from home.
1. Schedule breaks
Make sure that throughout your work days that you have carved out time in your calendar to “just be.” In an article written by psychologist Dr. Travis Bradberry, “people who [are] religious about taking short breaks [are] far more productive than those who [work] longer hours,” encouraging that people subscribe to “52 minutes of work, followed by 17 minutes of rest.” Take the time to grab something to eat, drink water, and stretch out your body after sitting. By taking breaks periodically, you’re allowing your body and mind to rest, rather than working for 4-hour spurts with lunch in between both.
2. Connect with your clients
Having to switch from brick and mortar to remote work in an instant must have been extremely overwhelming with such a quick turn around. COVID-19 has affected us all and your clients may have gone through the same. Take the time (within your capacity) to reach out, see how they’re doing, and build that rapport.
3. Support your team/colleagues
Like your clients, your team members and industry colleagues most likely had to adapt to the pandemic. If you’re feeling comfortable, are you able to support your team members with their work? Are you feeling overwhelmed and need assistance? Teams succeed when working together. Take the time to strengthen the team during this time.
4. Learn to just “be” during rest time
With much conversation around breaks, what does it truly mean to take a break and rest? With the hustle and bustle of being in the legal industry, whether it’s during your break or after hours, worrying about what you should be doing may make your break time (and day in general) more exhausting. Take the time to just “be” and do what puts you at ease, or has the least resistance, whether it’s watching TV, reading a book, or anything that makes you happy.
5. Take Walks/Move around
Still worried about not knowing what to do during your break or time off? Not comfortable with sitting and feel like moving? Consider going outside for a walk! HelpGuide, an independent non-profit advocating for mental health and wellness, suggests taking time out of your daily routine to walk for as little 5-10 minutes helps “relieve stress…, helps you sleep better, and boosts your overall mood.” Depending on the weather, if you have the opportunity, see how it may work out for you. Take the time to be present while being in motion. If you’ve been indoors during most of quarantine, take time to see if anything has changed over the past while. As mentioned earlier, going for walks helps move your body around more from sitting and working.
The final stretch
Vaccinations are being administered as we begin 2021 and it will be some time before safety precautions and work-from-home models may be lifted. We only hope that by the end of 2021, the pandemic will cease and we’ll be able to gather physically with those close to us. If you have yet to set up wellness practices in your daily routine, we encourage you to do so now!
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