Helen Brown Group

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Working From Home and Homeschooling

For the past several weeks we’ve been sharing our best advice to help you deal with the new normal of working from home – or more appropriately for most – trying to work while being at home. For many, this also means adding the job of teacher into the daily mix, so I’m so pleased this week to welcome my colleague (and one of several parents on the team) Angie Stapleton to the Intelligent Edge. In today’s article, Angie shares some great tips and advice for working and schooling at home. ~Helen

“So, we’re homeschooling now?”

This was the message that popped up in a group text of my mom friends a few weeks ago. In the span of a few days, most everyone on the text was making the transition of working in an office to working from home. On top of that, we were now making the transition of working full-time from home to also homeschooling children.

My guess is that some of you have recently found yourselves in a very similar group chat. Needless to say, the past few weeks have been an adjustment for us all.

Currently – four weeks out of the initial shock and into homeschooling – we’re beginning to find our rhythm. We’ve figured out a few things that have helped us to navigate the new normal.

Here are some things that have saved our house, and I hope will help your families too.

If you can, make your schedule work for you

Starting off, I’ll recognize that I’m in an incredible place of privilege because I have a job that is stable and can be done completed remotely – and for that, I am very grateful! Our company leadership is also generous in their acknowledgement that work/life balance matters. During this time, I am hoping that leadership everywhere will recognize this is a time when standard work hours may need to shift to allow for employee productivity.

For our family, I have found working longer hours but taking more breaks throughout the day allows me to get more work done and be available to my new “co-worker” for homeschooling questions (and hugs throughout the day). If your kids are older, maybe that looks like starting earlier and plowing through your day while your kids are completing virtual learning so you can end the day early. If you have littles, maybe that looks like working an hour or two after they go to sleep so you can really focus.

The important thing here is to be open and honest about what you need to create the most value for your company and your family in this season. Talk to your leadership, and this is important: go with a plan. Draft a schedule that works for you and your company and ensures that you’re meeting the deadlines that matter.

Give your new co-worker(s) a special work space

This suggestion came from my boss, Maureen. (Aren’t you ever so grateful for the veteran moms in your life?!)

Creating a special work space for your child helps them to feel valued, productive, and a part of the process. Making sure all the supplies they’ll need for the day are immediately available allows for more self-direction and less interruptions. Using only the “fun school supplies” helps kids to be excited about school and makes homeschool feel like a novel adventure. Basically, never underestimate the power of a fresh notebook and a new pack of multi-colored pens!

As I type this, my daughter is sharing half my desk. While it may seem counter-intuitive to have an inquisitive seven-year old next to you all day, having her space so near mine means I’m always there to answer a quick question.  On the flip side, she can also see when I’m really focused on something and she needs to wait before asking.

Plan and when plans change, be flexible

Taking time over the weekend to create lesson plans for the week has been key! It allows me to make sure we have all the materials my daughter will need throughout the week printed, organized, and available so I’m not rushing around to print a worksheet minutes before a conference call.

If your teacher/school allows for it, let your children have a say in what they are learning. Part of planning over the weekend means my daughter can help me choose what she wants to learn. A biography or cultural site for social studies? Paint or clay for art? I love seeing what captivates her imagination. And selfishly, I also know she will stay focused for far longer on her tasks throughout the week if she is studying things that really matter to her.

Though we have a basic framework, plans change. New meetings are scheduled. Requests come in with short deadlines. So throughout the week, adjust. The overall goal here is to pair your child’s activity (based on how much of you it requires) to whatever work you have planned at that time.

Similarly, if plans change for your kiddos, adjust.  In this time of physical distance, we’ll always shift to take a video call from a grandparent or a friend. We’re flexible if she needs more time to finish an art project or read “just one more chapter” before moving on to the next activity.

Schedules keep us organized, but flexibility keeps us sane.

Respect Your Bandwidth

A note on staying sane… There are a million wonderful free resources available right now. It’s amazing! And, it’s overwhelming. Look at the lists, ask your teachers, ask your mom friends, and then choose what’s right for your family and go with it. Please hear this: you don’t have to do it all.

Right now, I am feeling very lucky that I’ve had the opportunity to become acquainted with several ed tech apps through my work with HBG’s education reform clients. Because I’m already familiar with them and trust the quality of the platforms, we’re primarily using the same five to 10 websites for my daughter’s daily studies.  Also, that’s because that’s all the mental bandwidth I have to take on right now.

We’ll likely add new ones as we go, but for now, what we’re doing works. Everyone is happy – she’s learning and I’m able to focus on work throughout the day – and that’s what matters.

Incorporate the things that are important to you

One of the major benefits of homeschooling is that we get to include the subjects that excite us. For example, in addition to the core subjects taught at my daughter’s school, we’ve added in time for foreign language, coding, and projects intended to help cultivate a spirit of gratitude and self-confidence. We’ve tailored her social studies and science to create projects based on awesome female scientists. And, we definitely make sure there is ample time for art, music, and movement.

Since we are a family of faith, we are setting aside time in the morning for a Lenten devotional and to pray for specific groups of people affected by the pandemic. This helps our family to see the bigger picture and give thanks for how lucky we are – but also allows us time to talk through any fears/anxieties my daughter has and to brainstorm ways we can be “helpers” or sources of encouragement to our community.

So, what matters to you?  If you can find ways to incorporate your values into homeschool, it becomes a lot more than just lessons and certainly a lot more fun to manage.

Be Intentional About JOY

My first priority for this season is that my daughter remember this as a time filled with JOY. When so much of the world is filled with fear, anxiety, and a bit of panic, I want my daughter to be able to look back and know her home was a place of peace, joy, and lots and lots of laughter. That it was a place where she felt safe and loved.

Because we have unlimited together-time and I still have work to do, we had to set some boundaries. I intentionally built our schedule in 15/30/45 minute blocks of time. Arranging our schedule this way allows me to plan my work time accordingly. For example, I know I can check email in a 15 minute slot of time, make a call during a 30-minute slot, or really focus on a deliverable when I have 45 minute slots.

But, we were also intentional about scheduling specific times during the day for joy. For impromptu dance parties or finding a few pieces for the puzzle splashed across our dining room table. We created a “Social Distancing Bucket List” as well as a calendar of special nightly activities.

It can be hard, especially for littles and elementary age kids, to understand that you’re home but you aren’t necessarily available. With joy factored in, kids have something to look forward to when they are practicing a self-directed activity.

Lean into community (or at least lean within 6 ft. of community!)

During this time of physical distancing, social interaction is important. This is a great time to make sure the parents on your team feel supported. On our team, schedules are more fluid. Our Zoom chat has been filled with resources parents are using for homeschooling – in addition to our normal work-related banter. We expect to see children (and fur-babies!) on our team calls. My daughter has even become pen pals with a colleague’s daughter so they can pass the time together.

At the end of the day, challenges are always opportunities to strengthen relationships and to build trust on your team. This is no different. If handled well, we’ll come out a stronger team at the end.

Offer yourself (and your co-workers) some grace

This is hard. It’s ok to say that. It takes a lot of work and a lot of preparation, and you’re going to get it wrong some days. Shoot, I get something wrong pretty much every day.

During this season, I’m learning to ask myself two questions each evening:

  • Did my clients get what they needed from me to do their jobs better and raise more money for their cause?
  • Did my daughter feel loved and maybe learn something today?

If I can answer “yes” to both, then it was a good day. If I can’t, then I know what needs more of my attention tomorrow.

Our Work/Homeschool Schedule and Available Resources

For practicality, I’m sharing our homeschooling schedule which is geared towards elementary aged children, though a lot of the resources have activities for multiple age groups. As mentioned above, I really encourage you to find what works for your family and unique circumstances – but sometimes it just helps to know what others are doing too.

This schedule works for us because it provides enough self-directed time to allow for eight hours of work, which if we’re honest is (hopefully!) around 7 quality work hours after all the “Lois! Mom! Mom! Mommy! Mommy! Mama!” coming your way.

Here, I’m including the resources that we’re primarily using. For additional options, check with your local school district (ours has a list of recommended resources) and Amazing Educational Resources, which  has compiled a list of hundreds of online learning companies and organizations currently offering free resources or services. For younger kids, check out this Google Doc for additional ideas.

 

Time Subject Favorite Resources
8:30-8:45 Set Daily Intentions Family devotional, meditation or mindfulness practice
8:45-9:30 Math IXL and/or Khan Academy
9:30-10:00 Reading Check out your local library’s online offerings!
10:00-10:15 Family Time – Child’s Choice
10:15-11:00 Movement Cosmic Kids Yoga or Koo Koo Kanga Roo
11:00-11:45 Creative Time Crafts, cards, clay, painting, sewing, Legos, etc.
11:45-12:30 Lunch & Family Time
12:30-1:00 Afternoon Reset Gratitude Jar, Big Life Journal (lots of free printables!)
1:00-1:45 Social Studies BrainPop/BrainPop Jr. (click here for free access) or Museum Virtual Tours
1:45-2:30 Science Scholastic, BrainPop/BrainPop Jr., or Zoo/Aquarium Live Cams
2:30-2:45 Foreign Language Duolingo or IXL (Spanish only)
2:45-3:00 Family Time – Parent’s Choice
3:00-3:30 Music Practice a musical instrument
3:30-4:30 Movement Go outside and play!
4:30-5:00 Coding Code.org
5:00-6:00 Educational TV Our favorites: Storybots, Magic School Bus, Wild Kratts, Disney Earth, Any National Geographic, MythBusters, NOVA

*Note:  Blue font indicates time spent with family and not working.

So, now I’d love to hear from you! For those of you homeschooling or taking care of littles while also trying to work, what has been most helpful for you? Do you have any resources you can share with our community? We’d love to hear them!

 

 

 

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Expert work-from-home advice from the WFH experts

Here you are, sitting at your table or on the couch, working from home. In the time before COVID-19 it’s likely that your organization didn’t allow working from home long-term, but in the blink of a week or so, here we are. It’s a smart policy now to allow (or require) those who can work from home (WFH) to do it.

My team and I have been virtual since Rick came on board in 2005, so we have lots of experience in making working from home work. (We do have an office, but only three of the 21 of us are there usually, and it’s closed now for the foreseeable future).

We thought we’d share with you some tips and tricks that work for us to help your transition be more successful.

Practical matters

If you don’t have a designated office space in your home, create a space that feels “apart.” Even if it’s your kitchen table, set yourself up in the morning, and then close it all down at night. Having a work space separate from your home space make a big difference in keeping your mind at work during work hours, and off of work when you’re “home.”

Initially you might start working on the sofa, but after a day or two of that, your body isn’t going to thank you. Ergonomics are important, so sit at a real desk and chair for the majority of the day.

Stick to a routine. Start at 9:00 (or 8:00 or whenever your day usually starts), and quit at 5:00. It may be tempting to keep on going if you’re on a roll, and doing it once in awhile isn’t a bad thing if your creative juices are propelling you forward. Just don’t make a habit of it or you’ll get burnt out.

Create a ritual that makes you feel like you’re heading off to work. For some, it may simply be brushing your teeth, walking into a different room, or exchanging slippers for shoes. Other folks may need to put on actual “work clothes” to get in a work frame of mind.

Kitchen management is really important. Some of my team pack themselves a lunch at night or in the morning, just as they used to when they worked outside the home. This helps encourage better food choices during the day and prevents them from grazing when lunchtime rolls around.

Keep healthy snacks in the house like pre-cut fruit, baby carrots, and low-fat yogurt or cottage cheese, and avoid buying chips and cookies to keep the “WFH Freshman 15” off of your mid-section. After big-candy holidays, pack up leftovers for your significant other or a family member to take into their office (if it’s still open) so it’s not sitting around tempting you. Have some gum around the house to keep your mouth occupied but not snacking.

Life enhancements

Now that the practical matters are out of the way, here are some things that make working from home truly enjoyable for my team while helping us avoid cabin fever.

Follow the sun

One of my colleagues likes to follow the sun around her house by moving her laptop near the sunniest window. It keeps changing up her view, which is an added bonus. Another sets up shop on her deck during the warm summer months. For me, I have a little table on my enclosed front porch that gives me the same indoor-outdoor feel, and I can get a little Gladys Kravitz-ing in at the same time.

If you don’t have a view, consider swapping out pictures on the wall or buy some flowers to add cheer and keep your workspace interesting.

Get up and walk around

Don’t forget to take stretch and eye breaks. You’re not going to be visiting the office kitchen or water cooler, so you probably won’t get as many steps in as you usually do, nor will you change your eye focus from short distance to middle and long distance as much.

Set an alarm to remind you to get up and stretch regularly (Mac folks can try Time Out) and consider taking a walk around the block at lunch or in the afternoon (with your dog if you have one!) on nice days. Fresh air is a great contributor to staying focused.

Other things you can do on a short break or at lunch include throwing a load of laundry in the washer or weeding your garden. You might as well be doubly productive during the day and leave your evenings free for fun!

That being said, avoid procrastination cleaning. And procrastination cat videos. Procrastination just-getting-a-cup-of-coffee-and-oh-look-the-new-magazine-arrived! Promise yourself you’ll look at all of that stuff after 5:00.

Help yourself stay focused

One member of my team who likes to start work early every day showers during their lunch break to recharge for the afternoon.

Another cleans her desk off every Friday, putting papers in files and spraying and wiping the surface down for a fresh start Monday morning. That’s an especially great idea these days!

For folks with young kids who are also home, while it will be distracting to have them in your new office situation, remember that it’s an adjustment for them to get used to being there as well. Try to be patient and grateful for the opportunity to sneak in a hug during a mini-break.

One mom on the team says that it really helps her to take time every evening to prepare a few activities and make a list of things that her child can do the next day so that her child can be directed (or self-direct) a little easier. Also, two parents on the team recommended an amazing, constantly-updated Google doc created by a teacher that outlines free subscriptions your child can access, and there’s another Google doc here with ideas for parents of younger kids.

Don’t eat lunch at your desk

Make a separate space for your work and your lunch break to recharge your mind. I’ll admit that this is probably the hardest one for me, but having a good book or podcast that I’m really excited about is a big help. One tip I learned the hard way is to put any open water glass or tea mug far away from my keyboard where I can still reach it but it won’t do any damage if spilled.

Create a productive atmosphere

If you’re someone who likes to listen to music while you work, play music that motivates you or listen to a radio station that plays great music, educates you, and/or encourages community. Turn off the news when it’s depressing, and put your phone out of reach or in another room so it doesn’t distract you.

I was excited to learn from my colleagues about some apps they use to bring calm and reduce stress in their day. Just because we work from home doesn’t mean we don’t work hard or have tough deadlines, so learning how to manage stress and proactively use tools that help alleviate it are really important for productivity.

Stay connected to other people

Working from home can be isolating, even for the most introverted among us. Here at HBG, we use Zoom’s chat feature to communicate as a whole group, in smaller teams, and also one-to-one. In our group chat we generally have a low-key conversation going on all the time that fluctuates between “work talk” and flat-out laugh-out-loud silliness (especially on Friday afternoons).

One of my colleagues (particularly, but we all do it) likes to drop in random (non-confidential) things he finds in the course of his research that he finds interesting or unusual. As he says, “it’s exactly what you’d do if you were working in an office with other people” and he’s right – it makes for great conversation and contributes to shared team fun. (If he didn’t do that, we all never would have seen the house on Zillow that had a creepy stuffed clown in each photo of every. single. room. of the sale listing. Yeah.)

If a chat room isn’t an option, consider using a video conference instead of a phone call when you talk with co-workers. As the name suggests, FreeConferenceCall.com has one. Or FaceTime with a fundraising friend across town and take a 15-minute coffee break together to catch up. Don’t discount the power of a friendly face to keep isolation at bay.

Join and participate in other groups as well. For work-related activity, there’s always prspct-l or LinkedIn’s Groups to get a conversation going. On the personal side, one of my teammates is part of a Facebook mom’s group that has members from all around the world that has created a great sense of community for her.

Be aware of what’s happening (but don’t let it freak you out)

It’s a thin line between keeping current on COVID-19 and dealing with the anxiety that surrounds that. Fortunately you can easily find reliable sources of information including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization, and websites for schools of public health (including Harvard and Johns Hopkins which have been referred by epidemiologists as reliable information sources.)

Practice self-care before you start getting anxious. In the evenings, watch an old sitcom or a favorite silly movie. Read a book that you can’t put down. Take up that new hobby you’ve been putting off trying. FaceTime with a friend.

What else??

What tips do you have for others to be successful while working from home? Please share them in the comments for us all to use.

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Send your best researcher home

office distractions

Tell me the top 3 things that you love about working here.

Now tell me the top three things you don’t like.

When I work with a client to audit their prospect research department, the answers to those two questions tell me a lot about both the nonprofit and the person I’m interviewing. When I review the answers of 10 or 20 employees, I start to see patterns of strength and gaps to be filled. Taken across several organizations, I hear a lot of the same things. From prospect researchers, I almost always hear

I wish they would let me work from home.

I would like flexible hours.

When I bring this up with their supervisors or leadership, I often hear “Yeah, yeah. Employees always say that. It’s never going to happen. They’re not living in the real world.”

Here’s Real World: A recent survey by career-management firm Right Management found that 86% of the people they polled said that they planned to actively search for a new job in the coming year, up 26% since 2009. A combination of work-place stress and doing more for the same salary were the major contributing reasons.

The reality of a typical prospect research professional’s work environment is that it’s a 90 percent computer-based job. If researchers and front-line fundraisers in medium to large shops communicate, it is mainly through email, forms, or on the telephone. Face-to-face time is generally a very small part of the relationship, maybe a couple of hours a week.

Research requires concentration – a lot of it. Have you ever tried to add up a column of figures while someone else is carrying on a conversation in the next cubicle over? It doesn’t matter if they’re discussing a work project or dishing about Downton Abbey, a constant background hum like that is distracting. The more distractions, the more on-the-job stress there is.

On Marketplace Radio, Stephen Dubner, the Freakonomics co-author, told the story of C-trip, the Chinese equivalent of Expedia. In order to save money on expensive office space, the C-trip CEO, James Liang, PhD (Economics, Stanford) decided to try an experiment. C-trip allowed 255 workers that wanted to work from home to try it out for 9 months. The company figured that they would save money on office space and attrition, but lose money on productivity. They hoped that those factors would balance each other out.

What they found was that productivity from the work-from-home group was actually 13% higher than their in-office peers. Employees’ stress from commuting was eliminated, they took fewer sick days and they got to work on time more often than their office-commuting colleagues.

In fundraising, we all know that it’s always cheaper to retain a donor than it is to acquire one, and the same is true for workplace talent. Some people prefer (and thrive in) an office work environment, and working from home is certainly not for everyone. At-home workers have a responsibility to track and maintain their same (or increased!) productivity levels, and the arrangement does require a commitment to communicate well. But for the manager of a valued, reliable prospect researcher, the flexibility of offering that worker the opportunity to work from home even a few days a week might be just the perk that not only retains them, but increases their job satisfaction, their loyalty to the organization, and their overall health.

Here at HBG, we have a new and beautiful main office where I and two other colleagues work most days, but the rest of my senior staff work from home. It works out well for all of us, and I think it’s one of the reasons why my staff work hard, produce great research, and stay with the company.

Does your nonprofit allow you or others to work from home? If so, what are the positives and negatives that you’ve found?

For further reading:

The Brown university white paper on the C-trip experiment can be found here.

Richard Branson’s recent blog post: Give People the Freedom of Where to Work

Forbes blog guest post by Gary Swart, CEO of oDesk: Marissa Mayer Is Wrong: Freedom For Workers Means Productivity For Companies

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