The shift to remote work since the COVID-19 pandemic has created new opportunities for financial aid consultants to develop a stronger balance between their professional and personal responsibilities. For many, not having to commute to a physical office every day provides additional time to prepare for the challenges ahead in the workday.
While we can all think of how working from home (WFH) has improved our individual lives, this transition is not without its challenges from endless distractions to connecting with colleagues and accessing office resources. Below is a list of best practices that we have compiled from a variety of sources to address some of these pitfalls:
- Keep Your Morning Routine: Working from home may save you time from a commute, but don’t let that extra time go to waste. Develop an alternate routine for your mornings that is consistent, helps set a positive tone, and ensures that you are prepared for the day.
- Define Your Hours: Remote work can blur the lines for how many hours you are expected to work during the week. Although it is easier said than done, clearly define when your day ends so that you can protect your personal time and create a sustainable work-life balance.
- Set Ground Rules: Distractions at home come in many forms: significant others, children, family, technology, and even pets. Taking steps like silencing your phone during certain periods, having useful distractions for kids or pets, and communicating with household members is key to being productive on a regular basis .
- Utilize PTO: Requesting personal or sick days is a challenge for many of us, but working from home is not the same as taking the day off. It is always good to keep track of your PTO and plan out how you want to spend that time in advance. The earlier that you coordinate family, friends and co-workers about your plans, the better.
- Learn Your WFH-Style: Everyone has a different approach when it comes to work and your style in the office may be different than when you are at home. Take time to identify what tools or resources you need in order to be productive remotely and speak with your leadership team to see how they can support you.
- Incorporate Breaks: Working for 8 hours straight does not make you a better employee. Whether it’s a short walk outdoors or a simply stepping away from the computer, schedule several breaks throughout the day can helps you stay focus and motivated through the day.
- Communicate Availability: Remote work makes it more difficult to coordinate with co-workers since you are not down the hall from one another. Whether it is your office calendar or do not disturb mode, keep your colleagues up to date about your availability and make it clear when you need to focus on a given assignment.
- Take Advantage of Time Zones: Working remote with clients spread across the country can complicate our lives even more. Don’t be afraid to change your daily routine so that you can collaborate with clients effectively without neglecting your home life; even if it means starting at 12 pm and finishing at 8 pm.
- Enhance Your Internet Connection: Using office programs or tools at home can overwhelm your internet connection and make projects take longer as you wait for items to load. Working from home may require that you speak with your office leadership about upgrading your internet connection so that you can be productive.
- Stay Connected With Colleagues: Remote work does provide a break from the stress of interactions in the office, but it can also create a sense of disconnection or isolation between you and your colleagues. Actively engaging with your team members is still crucial to maintaining a cohesive unit and meeting project deadlines.
As you implement these strategies, be open to adapting and tailoring them to suit your own professional needs. Remember: while these practices may work for some, everyone’s situation is unique and could require a completely different set of practices to improve your WFH experience.
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