With the recent outbreak of COVID-19, we have all said goodbye to our office desktops and swivel chairs for the time being. Working remotely can be a transition, especially if you are not prepared. Here at idea Kraft, we have been set up to make sure workflow between our clients and staff is not disrupted in the changing day to day. Here are some of our ways that we are able to offer continued service and support to all of our clients.
We are able to continue developing and delivering creative work even from home, so as we all change the way we work, we are looking forward to working with you.
Tools to create a productive workspace at home
Create a space – Dedicate space in your home that may be separated from the rest of your home that is set up for work. It might be a desk, vanity or table that can be used solely for work. This best helps your mindset, and are able to separate your work and personal life.
Develop a schedule – Find the best time to work with your clients and co-workers and stick to it. A schedule is easy to keep your hours stable and offer reliable communication.
Get Dressed – Yes, working from home might bring along the idea of staying in your PJ’s all day, but to get in the right mindset of productivity, make sure you continue on with your normal morning routine. Dress as if you were going to the office, to get yourself ready to focus and be productive.
Eliminate Distractions – Once a workspace has been determined, sit down and take notice of anything that might distract you such as games, media or extraneous items. Set up a space that will allow you to keep focus, and only keep what you need during your work day at hand.
Protect and respect your time – Working from home is a transition if you are not used to it being your normal routine. Cut yourself some slack as any transitions can be hard to become used to. Take your regular breaks as you would during your workday, or schedule a small stretch during the day. As for making sure your work and your personal life stay separate, stay true to your set schedule and know when to sign on and off of work. This is true for both work communication and family commitments.
Take time to check in – As you would in your workday, day to day.
Tools for Work Collaboration
Asana – Asana is a great tool that allows teams to organize, track and manage their work. This platform allows your team to create tasks and assign them to users with due dates. Team members can add notes and upload files to the tasks, creating a virtual workspace to keep you organized. Here at Idea Kraft, we have been using Asana for a while now and have really seen the benefits in online collaboration. Asana has reduced the amount of email chains, and file sharing, creating an effortless line of communication that has increased our productivity.
Get Asana
InVision – InVision is a great tool for designers that allows you to easily create interactive design mockups. InVision’s free user-friendly software makes sharing working designs with clients and team members easier. The application also allowed for easy online communication and feedback, with features like direct commenting that point to specific points on the design.
Get InVision
Tools for Personal Organization
Project Folders In Chrome – Creating project folders in Chrome allows you to organize your own personal work on your computer through folders located on the Chrome browser. At Idea Kraft, many of us create folders for our individual projects. Each project folder contains all the information needed for the project, drafts, and notes. This is a very helpful tool that keeps projects separated and organized.
Gmail Filters – Often, our inbox can be cluttered, making it difficult to find what we are looking for. Gmail filters are great for automating the organization of your emails. Gmail allows you to set customized filters with specific criteria and indicate the action you want Gmail to take once an email meets a filters criteria.
Sidecar – Sidecar is a useful tool when you are used to having two monitors to work with in the office. This resource allows you to use your Ipad as a second monitor. This is a simple and easy way to increase productivity by running multiple applications simultaneously.
While this is a confusing time for everyone, we can all try to stick to our normal schedules within our homes as much as possible. Using these tools we hope that you can get organized and be productive while working remotely. Most importantly, everyone here at Idea Kraft wishes you well and hopes you stay safe.
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