Page 7 - SOKO TALK APRIL 2020

Sokowatch Wellness

4 Build Transitions Into
(and Out of) Work
Your morning commute not only gets you to work—
from one physical location to another—but it also gives
your brain time to prepare for work. Just because you’re
not traveling doesn’t mean you shouldn’t carve out
equivalent routines to help you ease into your workday.
Give yourself something that will signal the end of work
and serve as a buffer.

Don’t Get Too Sucked in by 5
the News—or Anything Else

Distraction is one of the big challenges facing people who work
from home—especially people who aren’t used to it. You probably
already take a few breaks throughout the day at the office, and that’s
fine to do at home, too. Right now, one of the biggest distractions is
the news. I suggest setting timers for any breaks you take. You don’t
want to get too immersed and forget that you’re at work altogether.
If you’re someone who’s susceptible to getting distracted every time
you get a news alert, turn your notifications off during the workday,
too. The news will still be there after 5 PM.

6 Communicate, Communicate,
Communicate!!
If you don’t usually work from home, chances are there will be some bumps in the
road if you have to suddenly go fully remote. The key to steering through these
bumps is communication—especially with your manager and direct reports.
Either before you make the switch or as soon as you know it’s happening, come
up with a plan that lays out expectations for how often you should check in and
how you’ll convey any changes or new assignments to one another. Do the same
with anyone you usually work collaboratively with throughout the day.

Don’t Forget to Socialize 7

When the whole office suddenly starts working from home,
you’re cutting off a lot of the casual social interactions you’re
used to having throughout the day that help you feel less
lonely and break up the monotony of work. Combat this by
talking with your coworkers throughout the day through Slack,
calls, text, Zoom, or however your company communicates.
If you usually ask your coworkers about their weekends, keep
that up. If you’d usually comment to them about a specific
topic, reach out. These little interactions go a long way.

Soko Talk - April Edition