In today’s world, many coders and other HIM employees are remote and working from home. There are multiple pros to working from home; flexibility, no commute, no office distractions, which can lead to an increase in productivity.
But there are also a few cons; blurred lines on work-life balance, isolation or disconnection from the workplace, potential for overworking, and of course, the wonderful distractions at home. On a good day, the cons can overshadow the pros, and make a work week very challenging. Now add working from home during the holiday season…the list of cons just got longer and they’re drowning out the beautiful noise of the pros!
Having worked from home for many years, I have walked through multiple holiday seasons in different coding roles, and different personal seasons of life. Here are a few tips and tricks that could help keep that list of cons under control.
Whether your work schedule is a set schedule or more flexible, take some time before the holidays and map out the month. With all of the extra activities that come along with the holidays, you want to be sure that you’re balancing your work and personal time. Next, begin to plan out each week and even your work tasks for each day in order to stay productive, and meet goals or deadlines. I have found it helpful to plan out meals, and even start to make some things ahead of time and throw them in the freezer. This helps to take away another possible stressor.
For some reason, most people think that if we’re working from home, we are doing it in our PJ’s. Don’t get me wrong, I have spent a few workdays over the years wearing my pajamas, but for me it is just not beneficial. On those days that I stay in my PJ’s, I feel tired and have lower energy, and just not as focused. I have found that by getting dressed and ready in the morning I have a better mind set, and I am more productive at work.
For some of us, we may have kids home from school, or maybe family staying with us from out of town. Due to the type of work we do, we need to make sure we are hypervigilant about protecting any secure data and/or PHI. It’s important to lock your screen or log off if you’re stepping away from your computer, and make sure your passwords are secure. You will want your office or workspace to be private, quiet and conducive to productive work. This brings me to my next tip that I have found to be very helpful, setting boundaries.
Some of our loved ones may think that since you are home, you are accessible at all times of the day. In order to minimize interruptions or distractions, share your work schedule and communicate the expectations for respecting your work time with everyone in your home. If you have work calls, meetings, or tasks that absolutely cannot be interrupted, place a sign on the door to let everyone know. My kids have grown up knowing that if the door is closed, then I am unavailable. Putting these boundaries in place will help you to be productive when you’re working, and more available when you’re finished with the workday.
My last area that I want to mention is something that I don’t think we talk about enough in our field; the issue of feeling disconnected and isolated from the workplace, and co-workers. This can be a hard thing to deal with on a normal day, but during the holidays it can sometimes feel magnified.
If you were working in the office, you may be attending parties, participating in secret Santa exchanges, food days, and surrounded by decorations and holiday cheer. Here are a few ideas to bring some of these holiday things you miss back into your world.
First, put up some holiday decorations in your office; go as little or as big as you want. Over the years, I have added more and more decorations, even a little tree, to my office. Next, you could organize a secret Santa gift exchange with co-workers, or maybe do an appetizer or cookie recipe swap and make a few throughout the holidays.
You could even plan out a virtual cookie decorating party with co-workers during lunch or after work. If you’re in a position where you have minimal contact with co-workers and you do not know them very well, I would recommend creating some of these fun events outside of work with friends or family. That way you are still fulfilling the desire for holiday fun that may be lacking in your work life.
Hopefully you have found these tips to be helpful in overcoming the challenge of working from home during the holiday season. Bottom line, we have a very important job to do, and we all desire to do that job to the best of our ability. Apply a few of these ideas and you’ll be set up for a less stressful, productive, and meaningful holiday in both your personal and your work life.
Happy Holidays!
Today is Mardi Gras, which is French for “Fat Tuesday.” It is the last day before lent starts tomorrow, Ash Wednesday. This got me thinking
EDITOR’S NOTE: The narrative in this article reflects the firsthand perspectives and professional experience of Tami McMasters Gomez, curated and prepared for publication by Penny
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