What day is it today? A colleague asked while we were on a team meeting via one of those video conferencing apps. We all laughed, but silently asked ourselves the very same question. A friend jokes that weekends aren’t that special anymore. The days all look the same when you’re in lockdown and working from home. I suspect he’s right.

This is the hurdle we all face when working from home. Even the veterans, those freelancers, and entrepreneurs who work from home even before the lockdowns would agree. The days tend to bleed into each other when you’re stuck in the same place. This tends to affect productivity. How? It is harder to distinguish personal time between work time when there are no physical barriers between home and office and schedules are more flexible. How do we address this? We need to regain control over our schedules by planning our work week. Here are a few steps to planning your workweek for maximum productivity:

The inverted pyramid

The inverted pyramid is a journalism tool in which the most important info is right at the top, context and important details at the middle, and general or background info is at the bottom. It is set this way because it’s how you tell a story. Similarly, you can create your own story or plan for the week by using the same principles. Sift through your to-do list and get the most important task. Make sure that goes on top of your to-do list. Then fill in the rest according to priority. At a glance, you will know which tasks would take up more resources (your time and effort) and which ones are background tasks that need to be completed but are not as important or as urgent. 

Map it out according to what works for you

With your to-do lists organized according to priority, map out your week by assigning daily blocks of time to each task. Make sure you take into consideration deadlines and deliverables. Add self-imposed due dates. Then put those into a calendar with a weekly or monthly view so that you can get a quick overview of your priority tasks. 

Don’t forget to include personal time in your schedule. You should always prioritize breaks and be relentless in taking those. They’re good for you. Also, include your prep time in the morning and a hard stop for your workday. 

Asses and recalibrate

Take a good hard look at your schedule. Be honest about the amount of time needed to complete a task. It’s better to have extra time than to cram. Also, look at your other tasks. What do you realistically have the time and energy to get done this week? Are there any that are non-essential or that could be moved to another week? Review your workweek regularly and tweak until you are comfortable with your schedule. This will ensure that you have time for completing work and still have enough for personal time.

Do you plan your work week? What does a productive day look like for you? Let us know in the comments. Remember to work smart and be a blessing to someone today. Stay safe and healthy!

Written by Jaie O. TheHelp

If you’re a busy, hardworking, well-connected individual, you know how it feels to have a jam-packed schedule. Managing your calendar or someone else’s calendar for that matter is a very nuanced and time-consuming task. It’s very easy to miss a link, to double book, or to get the timezone wrong. 

Even the best of us sometimes need a little help with an overloaded calendar. Don’t wait until there’s been a screw-up. Here are 3 essential tips for smooth and hiccup-free calendar management.

Creating a routine is essential to having a well-kept schedule

Bosses don’t get to where they are if they have no control over their schedules. Executives always run a tight ship and every second of every hour of every working day is important. Now, if you are managing your own schedule or someone else’s, it is important to have a set of routines that define your day, instead of running around rushing to complete one unscheduled task after the other. Order is important, especially if you or your boss have back to back meetings and running tasks. Try to create a routine so that you know what to expect and won’t be sidelined if something unexpected comes up, as it always will.

For example, you can block out time in the morning for easing into work. Maybe set 15mins to check mail for upcoming events of the day, 15mins to review your schedule or brief your boss on the daily schedule, and half an hour to respond to meeting requests/inquiries and make phone calls. Having a routine also sets a precedent for others to know that you or your boss won’t be available during that specific block of time. Maintain these blocks of time the same time each day so that they become a regular part of your day.

Share your calendar with pertinent people

Managing multiple calendars could turn out to be a nightmare when done incorrectly. There is a high probability of missing appointments or even double-booking as you switch from one calendar to another. Having a shared calendar prevents schedule conflicts from occurring. This works especially well for teams, so that everyone can be in the loop and avoid booking an appointment when there is a schedule conflict. Be careful of giving modifying rights to calendar entry invitees, as you might miss out on the changes and end up having the same old dilemma of double booking.

Schedule breaks

Everyone needs a breather. Do not forget to schedule breaks. Actually put it in your calendar or any calendar you manage. Don’t pack your calendar with back to back meetings. You should always pad meetings with 5 to 15mins between each meeting to give yourself or your boss time to prepare. Guard your lunch breaks and your coffee breaks fiercely. All work and no break is the surest, easiest path to burnout. 

Do you have any essential calendar management tips? What works for you? Let us know in the comments. Remember to work smart and be a blessing to someone today. Stay safe and healthy!

Written by Jaie O. TheHelp

The COVID-19 outbreak has sent most of us on lockdown and self-quarantine with a majority of people working from home. This has made home offices an essential part of most households. Because employees were instructed to work from home, they had to make do with a spare room or an unused table set up in the common areas of the home. Whatever your setup is, enclosed space or common area, these “home offices” are prone to clutter. Even more so because now, all family members are sharing the space at the same time and boundaries are a bit more blurred in the home. 

You don’t have to let your workspace slide into entropy and disarray. You can declutter and spruce it up to help boost your concentration and help you become more productive. Here are 3 ways to keep your home office tidy and looking good.

Work Zone Ahead

If you’re lucky enough to already have a separate room you use as a home office, then well and good. However, a lot of people don’t have that luxury. Some even prefer an open-plan kind of workspace, especially those with kids at home, so they can work but at the same time keep an eye out on the kids. Whatever your setup is, it is easier to get into a good workflow if you divide your office into zones with your desk being the main work zone and separate zones for storage (files and office supplies), printing (printer, printing supplies, and copy paper), and taking a break (coffee or tea corner). Zone your desk as well with your laptop or PC front and center, one corner holding your pen, notepad, and phone, and one corner for your spill-proof coffee mug. Everything else can go into drawers. Only keep essential items on your desk. 

Wires Hidden Away

Visible wiring creates visual noise. Visual noise makes your workspace feel cluttered and competes with your focus making you feel tired, or worse, unproductive. There are a few ways you can hide your cords and wires away. You can use wire organizers, baskets, cord covers, zip ties (my personal favorite), binder clips, command hooks, staple guns, or even toilet paper rolls. This helps keep your office looking good and clutter-free. 

Tidy Up Everyday

Before you wrap up for the day, take 5mins to put everything back in their designated place. Throw away trash and have a regular schedule for taking that trashbin out. Make sure important files are filed away in their proper folders and keep your pen in a holder. Don’t forget to take your coffee mug to the kitchen sink. Taking 5 minutes to clear up your workspace will ensure that it remains tidy and organized. 

Do you have any expert tips on how to keep your home office neat and clutter-free? Let us know in the comments. Remember to work smart and be a blessing to someone today. Stay safe and healthy!

Written by Jaie O. TheHelp

I see parenting websites and social media accounts filled with pictures of toddlers sitting compliantly on their parent’s lap while the parent is joyfully working on a laptop. That is not what most households look like, especially with kids staying home in lockdown. 

All around the world, schools are closed to reduce the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus. However, not all classes have been cancelled. Parents now share bandwidth with kids who have their own online conference calls with their teachers. Printers are constantly running with daily printouts of school work. School and home life have now blended into each other. Lunch breaks are a big event. Kids need constant supervision, and all hands are on deck.

Work from home parents find it harder to maintain a work-life balance when kids are taking over their lives 24/7. At least there was some respite when the kids were still physically going to school. Now, every day feels like Monday for some parents. 

To avoid going crazy and putting one of your kids in the oven, here are some tips to survive working from home with kids:

Lay the ground rules

Talk to your children and manage their expectations. Explain the changes that are happening and how they can help make the situation easier. Make sure they understand that the situation may last for a while and that you need their patience, understanding, and cooperation.

Set “office hours”

You need to create a schedule and communicate that to your family as well as your colleagues. You need a schedule in order to minimize disruptions. Capitalize on nap times and hours when kids are busy coloring or doing schoolwork. Schedule to do your deep work or make/return calls during that time.

Give your kids activities

Schedule a time during the day when you can do some activities with the kids. Give them recreational tasks during this time like putting together a jigsaw puzzle, painting, coloring, drawing, creating figures with clay, etc. Spending quality time with them gives them something to look forward to, and they will be less likely to disrupt you while you’re working.

Have a designated workspace

Ideally, this designated workspace should have a door to keep people out. But a lot of parents prefer to work where they can still keep an eye on their children. So, whatever workspace you decide on, be sure to communicate to your family that this space is your “office” space and that when you are in this space, you should not be disturbed. 

Ask for help

You and your spouse should take turns watching over the kids. Work out a schedule so that each of you can spend time with the kids while the other gets some work done, then switch places. If you have other family members in lockdown with you (older children, your own parents, older relative, etc.) who can watch the kids for a while, you can also ask them to watch the younger ones so that you can get some work done.

What tips do you have for work from home parents? Let us know in the comments. Remember to work smart and be a blessing to someone today. Stay safe and healthy!

Written by Jaie O. TheHelp