Updates from KAI - April 2020
Tips for Success While Working from Home
Our industry, like so many others, is now forced to work from home for the foreseeable future. This comes with a number of unique challenges and opportunities. While being forced to work from home is a new phenomenon for many, a few of us at KAI are seasoned veterans in this realm, working remotely full-time. We've put together a list of Dos&Don'ts, and hope you find this useful!
DO: Shower & Get Dressed. Start the day just like you would if you were heading into the office. It will be a refreshing way to start and a good routine to continue. Most importantly, do not work in the same thing you wore to bed!
DON'T: Work From The Couch. They suck you in! Obviously this is unique to your living situation at the moment, but try to avoid this if possible. If you have the ability to, the best way to work is to set up a station and make it yours. If you are sharing a workspace at home with others, be sure to chat about what your day looks like with them. If you need some alone time to concentrate or have a private conversation, just ask them or go find it.
DOs and DON'Ts: Snacks, Lunches & Coffee. It’s very easy to run to the kitchen a few hundred times a day. Hard project completed, long phone call over, struggling to find your groove… why not head to the kitchen? For better or worse, having your kitchen readily available means more trips and more snacks.
Put away the chips (ok, maybe one round of chips) and candy. Cut up some veggies the night before, buy bulk nuts, and eat up some fruit. Healthy snacks and will make you feel a better and give you energy.
Don’t be afraid to enjoy lunch. Make a non-work call to a friend and relax for a little bit. If you’re anything like us, you probably eat most lunches at your desk pretty much every day. If the day allows for it, unwind for a few minutes and actually taste what you are eating.
Go easy on the coffee… Another perk (ha) of working from home is an endless coffee supply and the ability to make 15 cups at a time. Resist the urge! Find alternative ways to get yourself awake, break up the day, or find something new to become addicted to. Big shout out to tea, water, and nuts as alternatives.
DO: Brush Your Teeth. Don’t forget to brush your teeth in the morning. In fact, brush them after lunch too. Your whole mouth will feel extra happy with a 3-a-day routine while this is all happening. It’s two extra minutes and will leave your mouth feeling good all day long.
DO: Stand Up and Move Around. It’s not good to sit all day and you’re likely moving around less than pre-quarantine days. Do a lap every once in a while. Throw in 5 push-ups or squats every few hours, rock out on the air guitar, pretend you’re jumping up and down with a Masai warrior - whatever it is, get the blood pumping a little. It’s good to keep moving and give your eyes a break from your screen!
DON’T: Make Your Loved Ones Regret that You're Home. Don't ask your partner or roommate to empty your ‘office’ trash can, take your coffee order, use ‘Poo Pourri’, or take a message for you. While they’re likely happy to have you around a bit more than usual, that’s unlikely to end well for either of you…
DO: Breathe Fresh Air. Open the window, sit on the stoop, go up to the roof, head to the backyard. It gets stale sitting in the same place all day. A breeze, even if a chilly one for just a few minutes, can really brighten your mood and productivity.
DO: Maintain Normal Hours. It’s easy to work long hours when your computer is always open and in front of you. Remember to switch off for a bit and take time to just be. Make sure the time you are putting in you are fully committed to what you are doing, so you can truly turn off and enjoy your time away from work.
Here's a look at some of the KAI workstations we've setup until our office reopens:
Some Good News from China
Things are really uncertain and scary right now. But our partners at Destination Asia China have a message of hope to share with us. "Here in China, where we have been battling the virus for several months, we are now starting to see glimmers of hope as daily life slowly returns to normal...Because while there is isolation, there does not have to be loneliness."
Please read this message from the DA China team if you need a little hope and optimism today.