We have been working from home (WFH) since March 16, 2020. Work life reality is having a stable internet access gives you freedom and mobility in the digital world and community. With the new arrangement of WFH, the managers are wary of monitoring the productivity of their staff. For me, productivity equates to output and being able to increase visibility in this time of ECQ where physical presence is near to impossible.
I have realized that WFH may tend to consume you more than when you are working in the office. First, the extreme summer heat saps out our energy, as well as increases our electric bills. Second, it eats up more of your time because you tend to stay longer in front of your computer, specially when there is so much to do and finish at the soonest possible time.
The free webinars are abundant, and tendency is you feel you need to attend every webinars that give information on how you would deal with these new normal. However, many of these webinars are the same in its context and not many of the speakers are great, or even good. In the end, you feel you've wasted your time listening to the same stories.
Third, having the skills in digital management to get you around the web is now on your hands. Instead of calling the department who usually addresses your needs, you have to explore and search for technical answers when you are moderating and facilitating your own live feeds and webinars. Instead of dealing with just planning, implementing and writing programs, you now have to understand how and when to mute your mic, closing your camera to improve streaming, as well as finding where to click for chat or sharing your presentations.
With all those challenges, I realized that we need the same competencies when WFH. Here's what I mean:
1. TIME MANAGEMENT
We need to discipline ourselves how much time we need to spend on work and activities related to our job. Just the same when you work in the office, you need to plan your day-to-day activities so that you'll be able to accomplish much within eight (8) hours. I suggest you set your working time and take your usual breaks when working from home.
Choose wisely among the webinars that you wishes to attend. Check the content and ask yourself, "Do I need this? Will it help me gain knowledge or skill that I'll be able to use?" Knowing your skills gap, and knowing when and where to stop are the same thing that we need to determine when we train for work.
2. STRESS MANAGEMENT
Before, the traffic and the reports' deadlines stresses us. But now, there are new stressors while working from home. We get stressed by the news, loss of income, lack of mobility and change in our cash flow. Those who are extroverts or loves traveling, they get stressed for losing chance to explore or losing social interactions.
The key to managing our stress is to understand what causes it. If you are stressed by the news, try to watch news only once and do not open any news link while working. If the loss of income source stressed you, don't linger on the problem for so long. Focus your energy on how you can gain income through the use of social media and internet. One opportunity I've seen is the influx of "Delivery" services. In some community, a housewife volunteered to purchase groceries for those who are not able to but on their own. She just charges PhP 300.00 for the delivery and service. Others, they started writing articles and some resorted to accepting transcription jobs. Doing this gives you chance to address 2 of the stressors; cashflow and income source. For those who get stressed by lack of social interactions, join online concerts, watch parties, or even online classes. Be creative!
3. DIGITAL KNOW-HOW AND TECHNICAL EXPERTISE
The IN-thing now are webinars, online learning and online classrooms. There are several expertise you can develop if you plan to offer courses or tutorials online. One is your subject matter expertise. But by presenting, you need also to master the tools like the use of online forms, use of online presentations, understanding of the classroom platforms, making and creating videos and reading materials for assignments. Not to mention, the lighting and sound management to make yourself look presentable during the webinar.
Creating materials like videos and presentations require expertise in animation, voice-over creation and understanding of the viewers. With that said, you can offer your newly found competence as a service to those looking for content developers.
4. CONTENT MANAGEMENT
Content management expertise are very much in demand. Knowing the right layout for websites and blogs is not common for many. If you have the "Creative Eye", try to explore if you can develop your skills in website or blog development.
5. SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING
For the past weeks, I received offers from many acquaintances. They suddenly remembered after a long loss of communication. And they remembered my name to offer me opportunities to sell products and services online, using my social media accounts. So if you have the aptitude or skills in selling, you'll surely get income by doing these. Much more, it would be beneficial if you have developed-well your Social Networks.
Another, if you are really appealing or can hold yourself well in front of the camera, plus the ability to communicate well, you can be a social media star. They are called INFLUENCERS. If you feel you have wide range of followers, then work on finding principals who would be willing to hire you as a product endorser or promoter.
I hope you are able to get something while reading my blog. If you would want to add more, please feel free to comment. I shared this as I feel that many are like me, trying to waddle and paddle in the marsh of the new normal. Stay home, keep some physical distance... but keep in touch virtually!
