Finding flexibility and establishing routines during the COVID-19 pandemicMoving from the office to home is something that much of the world is currently experiencing and trying to adjust to. For most of us, it is an upset to a well-established workplace routine: you commute into the office, greet your coworkers, go through your email, grab fresh coffee (where you have further conversations), and then dive into your work for that day. There is always chatter in the background and you can collaborate with coworkers as easily as swiveling your seat to a creative hub. You can quite literally "throw things up on the wall" to brainstorm. Then, in moments where one needs extreme quiet and/or a change of scenery, you can seclude yourself from the office buzz in a conference room or community space with floor-to-ceiling windows and comfy chairs.
That was life. That was just fine. That was my every day. Then COVID-19 happened and turned what I knew as my workplace upside down and inside out. When my feet finally met solid ground again, I found myself standing in my 500-square-foot, desk-less apartment staring the new normal directly in the face.
Changing the Creative Environment
Finding flexibility and establishing routines during the COVID-19 pandemicMoving from the office to home is something that much of the world is currently experiencing and trying to adjust to. For most of us, it is an upset to a well-established workplace routine: you commute into the office, greet your coworkers, go through your email, grab fresh coffee (where you have further conversations), and then dive into your work for that day. There is always chatter in the background and you can collaborate with coworkers as easily as swiveling your seat to a creative hub. You can quite literally "throw things up on the wall" to brainstorm. Then, in moments where one needs extreme quiet and/or a change of scenery, you can seclude yourself from the office buzz in a conference room or community space with floor-to-ceiling windows and comfy chairs.
That was life. That was just fine. That was my every day. Then COVID-19 happened and turned what I knew as my workplace upside down and inside out. When my feet finally met solid ground again, I found myself standing in my 500-square-foot, desk-less apartment staring the new normal directly in the face.
Finding My New Creative SpaceAs a graphic designer, I have always had some flexibility in my work environment. I never realized how much I took for granted the ability to pick up my laptop and work from any location with a power source and internet. When Flad announced we were moving to a work-from-home environment due to the current pandemic, I honestly was not concerned and was mostly grateful that my company was looking out for the well-being of its employees. Why should I be concerned with the change in my environment when I have worked late nights from my couch so many times already? It should be the same, right?
I was very wrong.
I soon realized that working from my couch and using either my lap or coffee table as a desk was, after a very short time, super uncomfortable. It also wasn't ideal to have an external hard drive hanging from one side of my laptop and multiple cords hanging from the other plugged into extension cords that seemed to wrap around in every direction across my apartment floor. Not only was the setup awkward and uncomfortable, it also made me feel unprofessional which, after a week of working this way, led me to being less productive on day five than I had been on day one.
As someone who has a difficult time focusing, I know the importance of finding ways to settle in and stay on task, or I find myself working a lot longer which, in turn, leaves me mentally drained. I knew I needed to find a solution, so I started researching ways to keep focused, stay motivated, and be creative while working from home.
I implemented things like establishing a set morning routine, exercising and stretching daily, adding plants to my surroundings, playing music for ambient noise (which also has been shown to increase creativity), and establishing how I "enter" and "exit" work (I sign in and out of Skype and Microsoft Teams to start and end my day). Another thing I've found to be helpful is that my team meets with our creative lead daily with phone or video calls. This sets up my day. While sipping coffee from home talking with my supervisor, I enjoy the similarity of it to grabbing coffee at the office and catching up with a coworker, which for me signifies a solid start to the day. Research also suggests that having a designated, set workspace is another helpful way to keep on task when working from home. So, I sketched up a plan to convert my tiny apartment to a live-work space with a designated work/creativity zone.
Things I Have Learned Throughout This Change
- A little change can make a big difference.
- Working for a company that embraces flexibility during a time of sudden change and uncertainty helps keep the pandemic "scaries" at bay.
- Getting a 7-foot shelf level by yourself is a challenge, but possible.
- A reading nook is always a good idea and allows for the much-needed, screen-free time.
- You can kill multiple plants within a short timeline, even while working from home. (I do not possess a green thumb but refuse to give up.)
- Adding a second monitor versus just using your laptop makes a huge difference in design productivity.
- Ergonomics matter.
- Clear and constant communication is the key to a successful team environment in a remote work situation. Some helpful tools my team implements are Trello, Adobe XD, Miro, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams.
- Having a routine during times of large-scale change is vital.
- A dog makes everything just a little better.
Finding My New Normal // It's Still a Work in ProgressIt has been over a month since I set up my "office" space in my apartment. In that time, I have found myself not only more productive, but happier, keeping up with the routines and allowing my creativity to flow a little more freely. I am usually a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants type person, but I am truly happier finding a way to allow for a flexible at-home work environment that also keeps the structure of a set workplace routine.
