The Bottom Line - Fall 2020 - 59

support and wireless keyboards for ease
of use. Another issue has been "dueling offices." Several staffers now have
spouses, children, etc. working from their
homes, so controlling noise when everyone "attends" virtual meetings has become
a challenge. To address this issue, some
invested in noise-cancelling headsets while
others were relegated to their basements,
patios, or sadly garages, to participate in
meetings.
Simply maintaining a healthy worklife balance was difficult for some prior
to the pandemic. Now, it has become
even more challenging because we are
working and otherwise living in the same
place. Achieving balance is further complicated because school-aged children
are now learning from home. Parents find
themselves not only working to meet job
demands but also monitoring their kids and
keeping them on task each day to complete
schoolwork. For these parents, establishing a routine has been key. They have
found it best to have a set time for breakfast
and core hours during which their children
focus on schoolwork-for example 8:30 AM
until 3:15 PM-with a set time for lunch and
scheduled breaks. They have also stated
that having a designated area in which the
kids are to work also helps.

Having such competing priorities has
caused some staff to feel that they are
working longer and they are finding it harder
to "shut down" at the end of the workday.
Again, establishing a routine has been the
answer. They get up each morning as if
they will have to commute to the office, get
dressed and fill that "commute time" by
eating breakfast, exercising, or doing some
other activity to jump start their day. They
then log on for the day and work a normal
tour of duty, being sure to take a lunch
break. Unless there is a pressing matter
that must be completed before the start of
the next workday, they log off at the end
of each day's tour. A key to making this
work for them has been having designated
workspace-not simply a seat in front of
the television but a quiet area that's just
for work. They also keep a daily prioritized
to-do list which provides them with a sense
of accomplishment at the end of each day.
This list also helps them focus on what's
most important each day so they don't
waste time.
All in all, OFOS has adjusted rather well to
working from home. We have changed our
daily routines and work habits to allow us
to work remotely while continuing to work
SMARTER every day. *

FALL 2020 | 59
The Bottom Line - Fall 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Bottom Line - Fall 2020
