Home and away: 4 tips for more productive work from home

The global health crisis surrounding the coronavirus outbreak has many implications on our industry, with companies relocating their entire production and shifting the supply chain to adjust to the new alarming circumstances. Following the instructions of health professionals around the world, many retailers implemented a new approach to remote work and currently encourage employees to work from home whenever possible. To help everyone do a solid job from anywhere in the world, here are a few valuable productivity tips: 

• Use advanced conferencing tools (for free)

If you haven’t found your favorite remote conferencing tool just yet, this new reality will force you to do so now, when meetings are conducted online. Tech giants Google and Microsoft offer their tools for free during the outbreak to support the industry, and we suggest that you give different tools a go to see which ones best suit your needs. 

• Create a professional social feed

One of the biggest online distractions for employees in and out of the office is the constant interaction with social media networks. It’s so easy to switch from relevant websites that have everything to do with the task at hand to Facebook and Twitter. This temptation grows even stronger as the need to know everything about the outbreak leads us to refresh news websites and social media feeds every couple of minutes.
So, what can you do? Simply create a feed that’s filled with professionals from your industry, textile companies you find inspiring and relevant startups that will share the latest innovation news. This way, even your distractions will become productive. 

We recommend following blogs like DTGMerch and Texintel, joining groups such as Textile Printing Solution and Digital Textile Printing, and of course, following Kornit’s social channels on Facebook and Twitter. 

• Build a structured schedule 

Changing your work environment to surroundings that your brain naturally associates with leisure is not easy. To keep things in order, work with checklists and create a clear schedule for each day. Include online meetings and calls, and don’t forget to take a short break every once in a while. You can even share your task list with other members of your team using collaborative platforms like Trello. If everything works out, this new system will help you and your colleagues work more efficiently even after things go back to normal.  

• Explain the situation to your family

People working from home have to explain to their kids and spouse that just because you’re home, doesn’t mean you’re available at the moment. If you have a dedicated workstation (or even better, a study) at home, define this space as “work” and ask to refrain from approaching you. During breaks, leave your workstation and enjoy short but sweet quality time with your loved ones. There are some perks to remote employment, after all. 

We all hope that the coronavirus outbreak will end soon and with minimal casualties. In the meantime, let’s work together and do whatever we can to help authorities control the situation while showing the world how resilient and agile our industry is. Stay healthy and busy!