One of the perks of working from home during social distancing is getting to choose your workspace. For many of us at Screen Pilot, that means working in the best office of all: the great outdoors. Denver is on a streak of sunny days, so Screen Piloteers are taking their meetings in backyards and balconies. Here’s how we’re taking our offices outdoor:
Mandy’s Pros for Working Outside
In the office, I am one of the lucky ones. Lucky meaning my desk is a window seat. I love staring out the window, and some days I am envious of the people wandering the streets in Denver or the guy playing the drums below my window. Yes, our office building does have a great rooftop where we can work, but the problem I ran into is my routine. My routine always consisted of needing to be at my desk to use both my monitors. I felt I needed to be visually present, and that I always needed to go to a call room for a client call or be available for a last-minute brainstorm. Thanks to social distancing and the call to work from home, I’ve broken out of my routine. Yes, I have a monitor here in my office at home but I challenge myself to sit outside each day for several hours to work to change things up. My foster dog helps with that, too. I’ve talked to clients while pacing my backyard in the sun rather than sitting in my seat. I have found a great benefit for my focus and my tan by working in the backyard.
Top Tips for Working in the Backyard
Make a schedule and stick to it.
- It’s easy to let your mouse wander up into the search bar and type in a site you don’t have the time to look at. If you’re working from home and in the backyard like I am, sometimes you’ll literally find yourself smelling the roses rather than crossing items off your to-do list. Assign times to complete specific tasks so you stay on track.
A clean house is a clean mind.
- If you’re working from home for an extended period of time, clutter is your enemy. Not only will it feel like the walls are closing in on you, but you’ll also find yourself wanting to tidy up rather than crawling through insights Google Analytics.
- I always clean my house the day before I worked remote so I wouldn’t be distracted or want to clean
Make goals for the day.
- Have a clear idea of what you want to accomplish each day. Document these somewhere, whether that’s an email you send to yourself or a stick note you tack to your monitor.
- These will keep you on track, plus you’ll get a lot of satisfaction out of crossing goals off your list. Satisfaction over the little things is crucial during a period like social distancing.
- For me, I’ve been running over my lunch break when I normally wouldn’t because it’s a time to take a break from the computer and stay physically active, which is a daily goal of mine.
My Home Office Must-Haves:
- A good set up. Make sure you have your charger, notebook, etc. And make sure everything is as ergonomic as possible. Your home desk may have a smaller surface area, but you should make sure the proportions are correct so you don’t end up with a sore neck and shoulders.
- Find a comfy chair so you’ll enjoy sitting at your desk.
- Make sure to get up and walk around a little in the sunshine. This is great for your body and your creativity.
- Give yourself all the liquids. Coffee and water are a given, but you could make use of the time at home to brew something special, like sun tea.
- If you’re working outside:
- Sunscreen, so you work on a tan rather than a burn
- Sunglasses to block the glare of all those shining ideas
- Extension cord so you don’t have to go back inside until you’re good and ready
Why You Should Work Outside Too:
- Feel the sun on your face as you work on an agenda or a data report
- Breathe fresh air while taking a call
- Give yourself a change of pace as you’re coming up with the next big idea for your hotel or resort. But we can help with that, too!
One of the perks of working from home during social distancing is getting to choose your workspace. For many of us at Screen Pilot, that means working in the best office of all: the great outdoors. Denver is on a streak of sunny days, so Screen Piloteers are taking their meetings in backyards and balconies. Here’s how we’re taking our offices outdoor:
Mandy’s Pros for Working Outside
In the office, I am one of the lucky ones. Lucky meaning my desk is a window seat. I love staring out the window, and some days I am envious of the people wandering the streets in Denver or the guy playing the drums below my window. Yes, our office building does have a great rooftop where we can work, but the problem I ran into is my routine. My routine always consisted of needing to be at my desk to use both my monitors. I felt I needed to be visually present, and that I always needed to go to a call room for a client call or be available for a last-minute brainstorm. Thanks to social distancing and the call to work from home, I’ve broken out of my routine. Yes, I have a monitor here in my office at home but I challenge myself to sit outside each day for several hours to work to change things up. My foster dog helps with that, too. I’ve talked to clients while pacing my backyard in the sun rather than sitting in my seat. I have found a great benefit for my focus and my tan by working in the backyard.
Top Tips for Working in the Backyard
Make a schedule and stick to it.
- It’s easy to let your mouse wander up into the search bar and type in a site you don’t have the time to look at. If you’re working from home and in the backyard like I am, sometimes you’ll literally find yourself smelling the roses rather than crossing items off your to-do list. Assign times to complete specific tasks so you stay on track.
A clean house is a clean mind.
- If you’re working from home for an extended period of time, clutter is your enemy. Not only will it feel like the walls are closing in on you, but you’ll also find yourself wanting to tidy up rather than crawling through insights Google Analytics.
- I always clean my house the day before I worked remote so I wouldn’t be distracted or want to clean
Make goals for the day.
- Have a clear idea of what you want to accomplish each day. Document these somewhere, whether that’s an email you send to yourself or a stick note you tack to your monitor.
- These will keep you on track, plus you’ll get a lot of satisfaction out of crossing goals off your list. Satisfaction over the little things is crucial during a period like social distancing.
- For me, I’ve been running over my lunch break when I normally wouldn’t because it’s a time to take a break from the computer and stay physically active, which is a daily goal of mine.
My Home Office Must-Haves:
- A good set up. Make sure you have your charger, notebook, etc. And make sure everything is as ergonomic as possible. Your home desk may have a smaller surface area, but you should make sure the proportions are correct so you don’t end up with a sore neck and shoulders.
- Find a comfy chair so you’ll enjoy sitting at your desk.
- Make sure to get up and walk around a little in the sunshine. This is great for your body and your creativity.
- Give yourself all the liquids. Coffee and water are a given, but you could make use of the time at home to brew something special, like sun tea.
- If you’re working outside:
- Sunscreen, so you work on a tan rather than a burn
- Sunglasses to block the glare of all those shining ideas
- Extension cord so you don’t have to go back inside until you’re good and ready
Why You Should Work Outside Too:
- Feel the sun on your face as you work on an agenda or a data report
- Breathe fresh air while taking a call
- Give yourself a change of pace as you’re coming up with the next big idea for your hotel or resort. But we can help with that, too!
