Tag: routine

Spartans’ Top Tips for Successful Hybrid or Remote Work

Published on by Chelsey Fether2 Comments

With the implementation of MSU’s new remote work policies, many of us are officially working a hybrid or remote schedule or are considering doing so in the future. 

We asked Spartans who work all over campus to share their best tips for their hybrid or remote work schedules. The top tips below cover leveraging Teams, establishing a consistent routine, staying connected with colleagues, and more. 

Tips for a Successful Hybrid Schedule

“Having a docking station at home and work makes things very seamless. A daily morning routine to get yourself focused for work is also helpful.” –Elizabeth V.

“Our team takes turns covering the administrative office, so we are always open, and everyone gets to work from home a few days a week. During our weekly Zoom meetings, we talk through shared tasks and have a few laughs. We also have mini-retreats each semester to plan for big events, projects, and challenges. The hybrid schedule helps us to focus and enhance productivity while giving our staff the flexibility to achieve better life balance.” –Mary Beth G.

“Work with your team to determine the best days for in-person and remote work. Put a sign at your desk letting people know when you are remote or in-person and how to reach you. Add reminders to your calendar at the end of your location transition day to bring your work materials with you for the next morning. When switching from remote to in-office, place your bags by the door the night before to help you remember. Use a laptop with a docking station for an easy transition. When remote, reach out to coworkers to ensure everything is running smoothly and see how their day is going.” –Brooke P.

“I highly recommend using the Microsoft Teams apps: Tasks by Planner and To Do and Remind Myself. Tasks by Planner and To-Do allows me to create a digital list of tasks and arrange them by priority, due date, and active or completed. Remind Myself is for tasks unsuited to my calendar but require attention. The application provides the option to list and snooze your reminders. All reminders appear as a chat notification in Teams. Both applications allow me to remain focused and organized in the office and home!” –Bianca P.

“Wake up at the same time, no matter where you work. Keep a notebook of your daily tasks that is easy to carry back and forth. I have a file on a shared drive to access from both locations. Try to maintain a healthy diet at home and in the office. Exercise daily—podcasts make it fun. Take time when you are in the office to connect with others.” –Sue S.

“To ensure I have the information I need in the office and at home, I have a file folder holder I keep important documents in that I take back and forth. The files stay in the folder until I need them.” –Rhonda B.

Tips for a Successful Remote Schedule

“My team has co-working times–Teams meetings where team members join for a set amount of time. We discuss how we’re doing, what we’ve been working on, and what we want to work on during our time together. The meetings keep us connected and allow us to get help if needed.” –Kelly S.

“When working remotely, put on music you like. I listen to my ‘Liked Songs’ playlist for a happy boost. I also like to put on a video I’ve seen multiple times that I can ignore. As a former teacher, I would often grade papers and write lesson plans with the movie, ‘You’ve Got Mail’ playing in the background.” –Corinne L.

“I think it is important for people working remotely or in a hybrid setting to have a designated office space (not a dining room or kitchen table). Remote work comes with its perks. If I don’t have a Zoom meeting all day, I will usually dress a little more comfortably. On days when I have meetings, I will dress as if I were going to the office. Do what makes you comfortable and productive! Be sure to take breaks too! I will sometimes block my calendar for my lunch break so I don’t forget and others will see that I am away on my calendar.” –Marie G.

“Stay in a routine, utilize your calendar and practice good time management. Stay in touch with your team and if you are caught up, ask your supervisor if you can do more to help. Take your designated lunch hour to maintain your routine. Time management skills are key to working remotely. Set yourself weekly and daily goals to accomplish tasks in an effective and timely manner.”

Christine H.

Thank you to everyone who shared their ideas! If you have more tips, share them in the comments!

bad habits graphic

Cultivating and Maintaining Good Habits

Published on by MSU Human ResourcesLeave a comment

Written by Andrea Williams, HR Organization and Professional Development

You’ve likely heard more and more talk about the next phase of our personal and professional lives — be it resuming our pre-COVID routines or creating new ones going forward. Although none of us know exactly what the future looks like, now is an excellent time to consider the changes we may have made over the past year that we’d like to carry forward — perhaps prioritizing our health, creating new family traditions, or learning new skills.

As we navigate the next phase of our lives, University of Southern California research psychologist, Wendy Wood, points out, “We’re going to be faced with two sets of habits: pre-pandemic and during the pandemic. And we’ll have to choose which to repeat.”

Don’t leave your habits to chance. Take this opportunity to make deliberate choices about which habits you want to maintain going forward and any new habits you want to form. Here are some tips to help you cultivate and continue the habits that best serve you and others.

Take it one at a time

Focus on one habit or goal at a time to reap the most reward. When you have the foundations for the first goal in place, you can then move to the next one. When you have integrated the second goal into your schedule, you can then work on the third goal and so on. Set yourself up for success and remember that slow progress is better than no progress.

Understand your habit’s function

Our habits typically meet an underlying need, such as the need for comfort, to feel safe, or to feel cared for. Understanding the significance behind our habits can help us better evaluate whether these habits still serve a real need. We can then opt to further cultivate a habit or design a new, healthier one.

Compare likely outcomes

When you’re faced with a moment of choice, ask yourself, “If I perform this habit, how will I feel? Where will it put me?” Pause, envision yourself and the outcomes, and notice how you feel. Then ask yourself, “If I instead choose to perform this other habit, how will I feel? What will it get me?” Pause, envision, and notice. Set an intention for what you’ll do and then follow through.  

Be consistent and kind

Strive for consistency in your habits rather than perfection. Many habits take time to integrate to the point that you no longer need to think about them. Until then, when you deviate from your plan, kindly redirect yourself toward the results you want without punishment or judgment. There is debate over whether there is an actual causation or rather a correlation between repetition and the formation and enforcement of habits, but research shows positivity combined with consistency is key. Reinforce the positive and focus on your progress and victories, no matter how small.

Share the experience

Cultivating and maintaining habits happens faster and easier when they’re shared. Friends, family, and colleagues can provide support in the form of accountability, reinforcement, and celebration. If you don’t have a circle you can count on, reach out to a therapist or an organization that fosters community in a particular area. MSU faculty, staff, and their families have access to resources including the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Health4U, and the MSU WorkLife Office that can help.

Don’t get discouraged if your first (or fourth) attempt doesn’t stick. Nobody is perfect in forming and sticking with good habits. Focus not on perfection, but rather on the process of trying things, redesigning your approach as necessary, and trying again.

Sources

Chua, Celestine. 21 Days to Cultivate Life Transforming Habits Retrieved April 2, 2021 from https://personalexcellence.co/blog/21-day-trial/

Fitzgerald, Sunny (2021, April 5). Pandemic habits: How to hang on to the good ones and get rid of the bad. Retrieved April 5, 2021 from https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/habits-covid-good-bad-how/2021/04/03/5a229796-93c0-11eb-a74e-1f4cf89fd948_story.html Forbes Coaches Council (2020, July 1). 16 Unique Ways to Cultivate Good Habits and Cut the Bad Ones. Retrieved April 2, 2021 from https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2020/07/01/16-unique-ways-to-cultivate-good-habits-and-cut-the-bad-ones/?sh=3860e7155606