Successful Tips for Working from Home

These tips from a K of C Insurance agent will improve your productivity — and your sanity

The last few weeks and months, many of us have found ourselves doing something we haven’t done much before — working from home.  

Remote work can be a tremendous blessing. It can be an opportunity for minimal distractions and increased productivity. But it can be very frustrating if you don’t handle it the right way.  

But Knights of Columbus agents like me have spent a lot of time working from home even before the current pandemic, and we’ve learned what does work and what doesn’t.

Here are some practical tips that we have learned along the way: 

1. Schedules still matter.
   Sure, you’re not in the office anymore and things are a bit looser. Working from home seems liberating. But if you don’t have a set schedule for when you’re going to be virtually “at work” and when you’re going to be at home, your productivity — and maybe even your sanity — will suffer. 
2. Have a workspace.
   You should have a dedicated corner of your house where you “go to work.” Couches are comfy, but the more casual you make your work from home environment, the more casual your work will be. 
3. Test everything.
   Zoom. Skype. Microsoft Teams. Webcams. The strength of your WIFI signal. The quality of your audio. These things are new to many of us. Make sure you test any new software before you must use it. If someone invites you to a meeting on GoToMeeting, test it the day before the meeting, itself. Don’t contribute to the dreaded 10 minutes of “Mike, Mike, you’ve got to unmute your mic!” that seem to start a lot of meetings. 
4. Check your background.
   You want to maintain a professional background, so test your surroundings, your lighting and the angle of your camera to make sure you’re projecting the kind of professional image that you want your colleagues to see.  
5. Take advantage! As tragic as this pandemic is, we can find joy in the fact that we get to spend more time with our families. Have lunch with your kids. Play with them outside during your break. Keep your family happy and yourself healthy. 

Above all else, stay safe, healthy and productive.

Sonny Sangemino is the KofC Regional Agency Executive Consultant for Canada and General Agent.

Share your story of how your council is helping strengthen people’s faith and offering support during this time. Email knightline@kofc.org.

Originally published in a special bi— weekly edition of Knightline, a resource for K of C leaders and members. To access Knightline’s monthly archives, click here.