How to become a home office superstar: Ten tips

Although the home office obligation has been lifted, working from home has become indispensable in many companies. If you're still struggling to motivate yourself in your home office despite everything, the ten tips below might help. So become a "home office superstar" in your company!

1. start your day with a walk in the morning

Use the time you would normally commute to work to exercise before work. Or consider getting up earlier. This has a number of benefits. For one, it will make you more alert and ready to focus on daily tasks. Especially for morning meetings, you'll be fresh and prepared, which is important for both appearance and professionalism. Secondly, you do something for your physical and mental health. Instead of driving to work, morning exercise is a great way to relieve stress, lose weight, or relax before work. The more awake you are, the better your work will be!

2. insert the camera

Even if you work from home, it's important to maintain your professional level. So when you're in a virtual meeting, make sure you have your camera on and make a good impression visually. If a picture is worth 1,000 words, then a video broadcast is worth 10,000 words/second. This shows that you are engaged and listening to the discussion. Plus, it also helps you "read" individuals based on their facial expressions and adjust your behavior. Being on camera has the added benefit of helping you build better relationships with other employees and your bosses.

3. daily "stand-ups" via Zoom or Microsoft Teams

Start each day with a short meeting via video. This ensures that you are aligned with your manager and team on the day's priorities. Not only does this add commitment to your day, but it allows you and the team to discuss and plan for core goals. If you're not already doing something like this, take the initiative to suggest it to your line managers.

4. give yourself a dress code for home

Dress professionally and take care of your appearance. Wearing pajamas or raggedy clothes to a meeting sends the message that you don't take work seriously. Instead, wear a shirt or blouse even if you are not meeting with someone. Also, avoid wearing hats or caps during a meeting, as they cover your face and make the meeting seem too casual. Remember that you are still at work. When you meet, whether internally or externally, it's about business. Appropriate attire conveys a good level of professionalism.

5. count the results, not the hours

Working from home is an adjustment. While many distractions are gone and it's easier and faster to get to work than in the office - it's just not quite perfect. But that's okay. While you should work the hours you expect, the hours only frame your actual work. The results, not the hours, are what drive the business at the end of the day. If something comes up at home, don't panic about whether you're meeting your exact work hours. Try to encourage your supervisor to measure results, not hours. With employees working from home, it's no longer possible to measure success based on hours worked. Instead, accomplishments and their effectiveness are a more appropriate assessment. You can also provide your supervisor with estimated hours for deliverables and compare your time to those to verify accuracy.

6. being a home office superstar means being responsible

Responsiveness is the name of the game when working from home! Responsive employees regularly check their emails and instant messages, showing that they are engaged with work at home. Stay on top of these notifications and respond accurately. This includes delivering projects, feedback or other work when it is expected of you. Make sure you also set expectations for communication in the virtual workplace. Be clear about your meeting times and when you do and don't work.

7. take advantage of the opportunity to take time off as well

Telecommuting is just as stressful as working in an office, if not more so in some ways. In fact, COVID-19 had a record number of employees suffering from burnout - don't let it get to that point! Burnout and fatigue are big problems that can lead to a host of other issues and affect your work as well. Don't overexert yourself and try to completely switch off after work. Because you also need time to rest and be with your family. Don't be afraid to take a day off as well. Taking time off shows that you are taking the right measures to be at your best.

8. keep a positive attitude

A positive attitude serves many purposes, but most importantly, it helps you collaborate with team members and focus on the tasks at hand. Morale is an important factor in performance and satisfaction, so focus on the positives. Remember that it's what you do and how you do it that matters. Attitudes are transferable. Lead with positivity and others will notice and follow.

9. focus on high quality

Quality work is critical. The results you produce should be a reflection of your skill. When you work from home, you have the time, space and comfort to really focus on your work. Take advantage of this. The higher the quality and output of your work, the more confidence you build as an employee.

10. proactively network virtually with employees in other departments.

Just because you're at home doesn't mean you should isolate yourself. On the contrary, you need to be up to date with what's going on in the company. To work effectively from home, you need to be self-sufficient, yes, but chances are your work interacts with others in the company. To make your impact and get your work done more effectively, network with others who can offer support and expertise. In addition to allowing you to make new friends and boost morale, doing so won't cause you to lose focus on the company. It's also a proactive way for you to grow and see how you can help other employees and vice versa. Ultimately, this networking and knowledge will improve the way you serve your customers. And this is the ultimate sign of a home office superstar!

According to Tony Zorc, "10 ways to be a work from home superstar" (www.tonyzorc.com)