Create readiness to perform when working from home
How can you continue making progress even when you are not able to work in the normal way? How do you stay productive? How do you stay connected if you are used to working in a shared office and are now working from home? How do you manage your energy and keep your mental wellbeing in good shape? Are you fit for purpose whilst working from home and how can you feel as ready as possible?
We suggest working through each section of the performance pie in this order in this particular situation in order to get the best results whilst building the best recipe for you.
Contextual
Do you have a dedicated space at home in which to work? You may not have an office but can you carve out an area of your home to set it up to work for you while you are working from home? Think about things like daylight and noise. Do you have the right kit you need and do you know how everything works to enable you to connect and function at home? What kind of atmosphere will help you to work effectively? Does music help or hinder and what type of music? Make sure other people are clear that when you are in that space, you are at work. Try to apply the same rules you usually do when you are in the office to minimise personal interruptions.
Physical
Think about how you will manage your energy. How will you stay active? Making sure you get enough fresh air and movement is vital. Pay attention to nutrition and hydration. It is amazing how the home environment can affect what and how often you choose to eat/drink through the day. High performers pay attention to the things that others think are obvious!
Emotional
What and how much support do you need? Without the day to day interaction you may be used to, how will you stay connected with your team? Think about creating regular check-in points through the day, team huddles, buddying up, whatsapp groups, Slack and other ways to stay in touch. How much support do you need from friends and family as things change? Communicate clearly and remember to check in on others too.
Tactical
How are you going to play the game right now? Will you connect with others for co-working sessions? When you do connect with others from your team, what shape will those conversations take? You could feed forward ideas for what you will be working on for the next 2 hours and then check in at that time. How will you use I.T.? What kind of work to rest ratio will you use? Perhaps you could plot out your day to give it shape.
Technical
Can you work all the kit and apps you will be working with? Think of all the mediums and tools you might use. You may be used to virtual meetings but are you clear how to do that if you need to lead those meetings? Who are the technical experts in your organisation and can they up-skill the team collectively?
Mental
Make sure you look after yourself well mentally. You may notice things change as circumstances change, so regular personal check-ins and self-awareness may be more important than usual. Pay attention to your mood and outlook especially if you are more isolated than normal. Make sure you are giving and receiving support as you need. If you are aware of your personality preferences, use this knowledge to help you to get what you need.