Staying motivated and productive while working from home can be a challenge – particularly in industries and roles that benefit from partnership and collaboration.
Last month, BAM hosted a virtual discussion with psychologist, author and performance coach Brett Steenbarger, who offered insights on how employees and teams can stay connected and maximize their productivity amid the disruptions of Covid-19.
Below are seven key takeaways from the discussion:
Best Practices for Working from Home:
Focus on Four Essentials: To thrive at home and at work, pay close attention to the four dimensions of psychological wellness: joy, fulfillment, energy and affection. We should take stock daily of these necessities: How can we maximize our joy and our fulfillment? How can we make the most of our energy? People who check all four boxes are unlikely to be overwhelmed by the stresses of work and life.
Take Micro Breaks: Taking short recesses from work can keep your mind clear and improve your productivity. Stepping away from the screen for a coffee run, a brief walk, even a 10-minute meditation during the day can refresh your mind and sharpen your performance.
Pursue Social Activities and Fresh Challenges: It is important to engage with others and make time for yourself. Staying in touch with friends, family and co-workers will stave off isolation and help you maintain a sense of normalcy. Devote your non-work time to fulfilling activities that call upon your strengths. Tackling new hobbies and challenges, such as taking on-line classes that expand your skills, will help you feel productive.
Best Practices for Remote Teamwork
Elevate Idea and Information Flow: For a team to thrive, it is essential to optimize the exchange of ideas and information. With regard to meetings, it's not the quantity, but the quality that counts. For a meeting to be meaningful, everyone must come prepared. Participants must bring unique research and perspectives so that people can learn from each other.
Set Up an Online Forum: Creating a central online program where team members can swap information and keep up-to-date on what others are doing is a great way to enhance productivity and team cohesiveness.
Build Bonds Outside Work: Cultivating relationships with co-workers outside of work is critical for success on the job. Virtual happy hours and one-on-one chats are a good way to keep work bonds going after working hours.
Firms Should Take the Initiative: Nurturing a sense of unity and common purpose isn't solely a team or unit-level concern. At a time when the need to work remotely has upended normal work patterns and physically distanced the work force, firms should take measures to encourage the sense of community across their organizations. Organizations whose employees feel isolated and ignored don't succeed. It is important to make all employees feel welcomed and heard.
About Brett Steenbarger:
Brett Steenbarger is a psychologist and performance coach who works with portfolio managers and investment teams at financial institutions. He is a Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, NY and has authored a number of academic papers and books related to effective short-term approaches to psychological change.
