GETTING READY TO WORK FROM HOME
Working your campus job from home is different than being on campus. There are definitely perks, like zero commute time, but there are also challenges. Even if you’re working “off campus” right now, our hope is that your McGill work experience equips you with the skills and confidence you need to succeed in your future careers – regardless of the work environment, you find yourself in.
Get in work mode
This is a workday… just at your home instead of on campus, so try to keep a routine and:
- Shower and get dressed as you would for school
- Make time for lunch and breaks – preschedule meal times, so you stick to a schedule
- Find balance between school and work tasks – plan your time to juggle these tasks according to the urgency of the priorities
Accountability is one of the toughest things remote workers struggle with. Setting daily goals can help with holding yourself accountable
- This may mean communicating your goals to your supervisor at the beginning of each day and sending an update on what you have accomplished at the end of the workday
- If you need extra motivation, try setting small rewards for yourself – get through the morning without distractions. Treat yourself with some chocolate!
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Self-care is key to maintaining productivity
- Exercise in the form of a walk will help clear your mind, work more efficiently, and decompress after being home all-day
- Exposure to fresh air and sunlight areĚýexcellent mood-liftingĚýtricks that also preventĚýus from going stir crazy
- Limit your intake of social media
In a remote setting, where in-person interactions are less common, it’s easier to feel isolated. Even though you will not physically see your co-workers, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t call on them when you need support. For more info on the services you have access to remotely and in-person, visit Student Services.
Set up your workspace
- Designate an uncluttered and comfortable workspace to do your work
- Limit distractions as much as possible by finding a quiet area and setting your phone to silent.
Good ergonomics allow for a comfortable work environment
- Don’t work from your couch or bed. Instead, use a desk or table – Your posture will thank you!
- If you have one, connect to a monitor at eye level. Working for extended periods on a screen can be bad for your posture
- Follow the 20/20/20 rule: Every 20 minutes, look at something that is 20 feet away from you, for at least 20 seconds
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Gain secure access to files you need
To ensure that you can , you will need to connect to McGill’s Virtual Private Network (VPN). Click Ěýfor VPN activation instructions, and contact IT Services for setupĚýsupport.
For secure cloud-based file storage and sharing Use .ĚýCloud-based apps can be accessed without VPN (e.g., Outlook and OneDrive).
Communicating with your supervisor
However important we all think communication is in general, it is even more important when working remotely. In most surveys of people that WFH, the #1 problem is always communication.Ěý
It is key to ask your supervisor how and when they want you to communicate questions and seek guidance. For example, they may want to connect at the beginning of the day and prefer questions to be sent via email.ĚýKey takeaway: Don’t hesitate to over-communicate.ĚýGetting in this habit will not only set the tone for excellent communication with your supervisor but will also build trust.
Report to your supervisor on a regular basis - Depending on what you're working on, this may be a quick daily check-in or a bi-weekly conference call. Take these opportunities to share how you feel:
- Ask them if they’re getting what they need from you
- what’s going well – or not, do you need help, build connection
If you are unable to work on your tasks, discuss them with your supervisor. There might even be opportunities to take courses, webinars, or do new skills or professional development training online.
Documentation
Documentation is everyone’s responsibility. When you ask a question and receive an answer, write it down. Putting things in writing (i.e., emails) helps because:
- It’s great for future reference
- Avoids confusion by keeping everyone on the same page about who is responsible for what
- Demonstrates respect for others’ time
- Explains the reasoning behind decisions
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Efficient remote meetings
Working from home doesn’t mean meetings aren’t needed. It just means that like everything else, they happen online too. Here are some tips to make them more successful:
- Attend meetings on time – Many meetings will be scheduled on Teams; it’s your responsibility to be punctual
- When meeting remotely it is recommended to turn on your video. Even if just for a few minutes, displaying your face sends a stronger signal that you’re present and paying attention. Use your discretion
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Pause for others to speak. It can be hard to find space to speak in a meeting, and even harder when everyone is virtual. Make sure there’s time and opportunity for all voices to be heard
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Use headphones to minimize the distractions of normal noises in your home and keep conference calls private – this is especially important if you are discussing confidential topics
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Set aĚýmeeting agenda and share it in advance if you're the meeting owner
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Create action items. This is a great way to impress a supervisor and ties to documentation best practices
Make yourself visible
Work and be available during work hours – it is up to you how you structure your work at home, but you need to be available during your regular work hours. If you’re unsure what these are, ask your supervisor
- Be available via email and Teams, if applicable
- If you use a calendar, keep it updated so that people know your availability
- Proactively tell your supervisor and your team what you’re working on, what meetings you have, and when you are unavailable
- Reply quickly to emails. Even if it’s just to say “I’ll get back to you shortly.” This makes the sender feel like you are treating their communication as a priority and makes you look more professional.
If you use Teams, use the status feature to set a message that people will see when they look you up or message you. Be informative: i.e. “Lunch noon – 1pm” - You can find it by clicking on your picture icon
Additional Resources & References
This guide isn’t exhaustive; more information can be found in these additional resources:
- Here are McGill’s IT Services compilation of resources on working remotely
- are some tips from the Mayo Clinic on how to arrange your workstation
- GitLab remote work resources are searchable
Remote Meeting Software info:
- MS Teams: IT KB article for MS Teams is . A How-To guide can be found here
References
- Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (2019). The development of goal setting theory: A half century retrospective. Motivation Science, 5(2), 93–105.
- Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (1990). A theory of goal setting & task performance. Prentice-Hall, Inc.
- Kolpakova, J., May, M. W., & Maar, U. (2019). Workspace management as a part of FM mission: A study of german FM education. Facilities, 37(13), 995-1007. doi:
- Janneck, M., Jent, S., Weber, P., & Nissen, H. (2018). Ergonomics to go: Designing the mobile workspace. International Journal of Human - Computer Interaction, 34(11), 1052-1062. doi:
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