Resources for Remote work

Over the last several weeks there have been service changes and closures of anti-poverty advocacy and legal programs across the Province in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of you may be working remotely now, maybe for the first time. PovNet, as a remote team, wanted to share some best practices and resources to help you navigate through this ever-changing time. We're right here with you. If we can support you with any of the online side of things, let us know.

Remote Work Practices

1. Set realistic goals. What needs to be done today, what would you like to get done today? Consider using online tools like Trello, Google Keep, or Goal Tracker to stay organized and even set reminders. Or, good ol' pen and paper.

2. Keep a schedule, but be flexible if needed to respond to urgent things that come up or phone calls. Whatever email tool you use likely has a calendar extension, but again, good ol' pen and paper works great here, too.

3. Create a designated office "space" even if it's just a corner of your coffee or dining table!

4. Check-in with staff on your team about what technology they have access to, and work to mitigate if not ideal or provide alternatives. Read more on this here.

5. Keep your normal workday routine. That could look like showering, getting dressed, planning your day (see #1 & 2), and "leaving" at the end of the day!

6. Having trouble concentrating on tasks? That's totally normal in this situation (and often other times too). Consider trying tools that incorporate the Pomodoro technique like Forest, Flipd, Tomatoes, Bear Focus Timer or Pomello (integrates with Trello, #1). These can help you chunk out your time, reduce distractions, and stay focused. 

7. Keep in touch with your team and continue any staff routines or practices like morning huddle or end of day debriefs. At PovNet we love Slack (free) for collaborating and staying in touch throughout the day and using Zoom (free up to 40 minutes) for video meetings.

8. Like #7, keep communication lines open, stay in regular contact with each other! This way you can get support, provide feedback, and reduce feelings of isolation. This could be using Slack, Zoom, phone, or text.

9. Review your teams security measures with some things to consider here.

10. Assess and adjust expectations to accommodate for work disruptions and mental and emotional overload due to pandemic state.

11. Be flexible, patient, and empathetic with each other to reduce team stress and anxiety.

12. Take breaks--go outside! Walk your dog! Call a friend! Bake a cake! Meditate!

Tools for calm

Tips for working at home with kids

Working at home is one thing, working at home with your children there poses an additional set of challenges.