As many employees are being forced to work from home due to COVID-19, it can be easy to feel somewhat isolated from your job. Afterall, when you’re used to being surrounded by your coworkers each day, which allows you to share ideas, ask questions or simply socialize, you may feel like you’re missing out on something when you’re not with them. The same goes for students who are now finding themselves in virtual classes when they’re used to sitting in a lecture hall filled with classmates.

The good thing is, you’re not alone with this feeling. There are now more people than ever working remotely, as social distancing is the best way to avoid spreading the COVID-19 virus. So how can you create a remote culture when you’re not actually at work? It’s easier than you think.

1. Stay connected. When you’re in the office, you often have touch points with your team members and manager on a regular basis. It’s important to stay updated on what everyone is working on, so make sure you’re having regular meetings with your team so you can stay informed.
2. Make lunch plans. With video technology, it’s now possible to not only chat with your coworkers or classmates, but to see them too. It’s almost as good as seeing them in person. If lunch doesn’t work, you can plan for a chat over coffee or a study session with your classmates. If you’re a manager or team lead, consider sending virtual gift cards to your team for GrubHub or UberEats as an extra perk so you can buy them lunch without actually having to provide it.
3. Plan a virtual learning session. Does a colleague or classmate have a special skill or have knowledge about a subject that may interest others? Plan a virtual learning session. With tools like Skype and Zoom, you’re able to schedule video calls, instant message and share your computer screen.
4. Office Hours. This can work for both business leaders and teachers. Schedule time for employees or students to ask questions or generate a discussion, using either social media channels or meeting technology. It could be focused on a specific topic or just a general Q&A.
5. Networking events. Just because you’re not in the office or at school doesn’t mean you can’t meet new colleagues or students. Host a virtual meet and greet event. It’s a great opportunity to meet new people, share stories and learn about your peers. Perhaps even consider starting an employee resource group, such as a veterans or mentoring group.
6. Show gratitude. Many companies use social media tools. Whether they are for internal use, like Yammer, or for public viewing, like Facebook, a shout out or thank you to your team members is a great way to show appreciation and acknowledge a job well done.
7. Share fun ideas. Whether you live by yourself, with a roommate or with your family, learning about fun activities to do while social distancing can be a great way to keep employees and peers motivated. Plus it fights boredom! Start a post on social media or an email chain that encourages people to share what they’ve been doing to stay busy and entertained. Whether it’s a new tv show to binge, a fun activity for your kids or an at-home workout, you’re sure to find something that interests you.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, many schools have ended in person classes and switched to online learning. Other schools have suspended classes altogether for a few weeks. During this time, it’s important to keep children learning while being home with parents or a caretaker. Many schools are providing software tools to maintain class curriculums and testing, but in case you may have missed the list, here are the tools we have found to be the most impactful:

For Educational: K- 12- remote learning during school closures can help keep children in their school routine.

• Khan Academy – personalized classes on math, science, computer programming, history, art history, economics and more to empower learners to study at their own pace in and outside of the classroom.

• • • Can be used without dependence on internet
    • Daily schedules for students
  • Scholastic Learn at Home – day-by-day projects to keep kids reading, thinking, and growing.
  • BrainPOP – engaging animated movies via narrative, humor and characters who speak in a voice kids can relate to, encouraging self-directed learning and further exploration of the world around them.
  • Duolingo – learn a language for free.

• Quizlet – master any subject, one success at a time.
• There are also several different apps

There are excellent resources that balance fun and education:

• Storyline Online – award-winning children’s literacy website that streams videos featuring celebrated actors reading children’s books alongside creatively produced illustrations.
• Virtual Field Trips by Discovery – virtual tours take students to amazing places and give them remarkable experiences.
• FunBrain – hundreds of games, books, comics, and videos that develop skills in math, reading, problem-solving and literacy.
• Many zoos and aquariums are offering live streams. Check out the list here.
• Take a look this website for hundreds of ideas that are both fun and educational.

Additionally, it’s important for kids to stay active. Consider going for a walk outside, playing a game in the yard or going on a bike ride. There are also some websites and apps that provide fitness activities for children:

• NEOfitness – fun, safe, and effective exercises for children ranging from 4-12 years of age
• Super Stretch Yoga – mobile app uses storytelling, animation and interactive video tutorials to show various yoga poses for kids
• FitnessKids – mobile app with over 25 animated exercises
• FitQuest Lite – a unique app which encourages kids to walk over 10,000 steps per day! However, this app uses puzzles to motivate kids to take more steps

Venterra is dedicated to providing top-rated apartment communities throughout the country and we hope this information helps our residents and others.

Working from home can be easy for some, but difficult for others. Many businesses now allow employees to work from home on a consistent basis, which makes it easy to get into a routine and stay productive. However, now, as the coronavirus becomes more widespread across the United States, additional companies are requiring their employees to work from home, as social distancing is a one of the most effective preventative measures we can take to avoid the spread of the virus.

If you’re now working from home every day and you’re not used to it, you may be struggling to remain focused on the tasks you need to get done. After all, when no one is looking over your shoulder, it’s easy to get distracted with things outside of your work, like online shopping, or a tv show you recently started binging. Or perhaps your children or spouse are home all day, which is another battle all together. But have no fear! There are several tips for staying motivated and fixated on your job.

1. Find a dedicated workspace, away from distractions. Some people are fortunate to have a home office, which makes this tip easy to follow. If you don’t have a home office, consider using your dining room table. Or set up a table in a room that you can close off from the rest of your home. It’s important to block out the noises around you and stay away from disruptions. This is especially important if you have conference calls during the day.
2. Don’t get too comfortable. One of the perks of being home is that you can stay in your pajamas all day if you so choose. But being too comfortable can result in feeling lazy. After all, pajamas or sweatpants are usually worn when we go to sleep or lounge around. So if we’re wearing clothes that don’t reflect our task at hand, we could feel too comfortable and end up sitting on the couch instead of behind our laptops. Consider dressing as you normally would for work. Dressing for our day usually puts us in the right mindset.
3. Take breaks. Sitting down for long periods of time can lead to fatigue and discomfort. Make sure you’re standing up and walking around every hour to keep your blood flowing and your energy up. Take some time to stretch and consider going for walk on your lunch break.
4. Plan out your day ahead of time. Having a schedule and a list of tasks you want to achieve for the day or even week can be incredibly helpful. Consider everything you have due within the coming weeks and plan out what projects or tactical items need to be completed, and by when. An actual checklist can help you feel accomplished, as it allows you to literally check the box on tasks you finished. Once you’ve checked a few boxes, reward yourself with something like 15 minutes on social media.
5. Interact with others. Whether you are home by yourself or with family members or roommates, chatting with others throughout the day is allowed. When you’re in the office, you most likely chat with your coworkers throughout the day. Chatting with people in your home or calling a coworker to talk through a work task or just to catch up can be a welcome break after staring at a computer screen for hours. Just make sure it doesn’t get in the way of work all together!
6. Set boundaries. This is especially important if you have children. Make sure you set specific times to begin and end work so that you can ensure you have time to spend with your family. Working from home can often make it easier to work longer hours, as you don’t have to account for your commute time, among other things. Each day do your best to plan out your schedule so that once you log off work, you have a few hours to step away and enjoy your loved ones.

These tips are just a handful of what exists for people who work from home. If you’re looking for more advice, a simple Google search will result in hundreds of articles that provide advice. Just don’t let searching for tips distract you from doing your job!

At Venterra, we are dedicated to making apartment living as easy as possible, and we also have gathered tips on ways to make extra money working from home.