Moving is never simple. In addition to the stress of the whole process, you’re probably changing your whole living environment and will have to spend some time adapting.
Moving while working or moving your whole workspace adds a whole new layer of difficulty to the whole thing.
This is especially tricky for anyone working from home (due to COVID-19 or because they’re freelancers) because they may have to continue working despite the disruption to their workspace.
While people don’t move as much as they did before the coronavirus pandemic, they still do so on a large scale. Numerous statistics show a slow rising tendency across the board, with some people choosing to move because of the pandemic.
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So, are you wondering how to stay productive while moving? How to deal with the added stress of the worldwide pandemic, stay safe, and maintain your work-life balance? Here are some tips that can help you out.
Create a General Plan
Before you even start packing, create a plan. Figure out if you can take days off work and prioritize packing/unpacking orders. As a rule, the least important things, things you won’t need right away, need to be packed first and unpacked last. Hiring moving services to help you create a plan is a good idea.
Also, calculate your moving expenses and make sure you have enough money set aside to cover it all.
If you can take some days off, try to pack your office as early in the process as possible. That way, you’ll minimize any disruption to your work environment that will just cause your productivity to drop. In general, try to minimize the disruption to your workspace, and you’ll be fine.
Prepare Your Destination
This might be tricky, especially if you’re moving long-distance, but it’s an essential step. Make sure the place you’re moving to is spick and span so that you’ll be able to move in seamlessly. All the repairs and electrical work need to have been already done by the time you start unpacking.
If that’s not an option, which may be the case if you’re moving interstate or to a new city, then you need to at the very least organize a separate workspace in your new home. Furnish a room, and make sure you have a good internet signal and enough power outlets.
If even that is proving to be difficult, consider renting an office or even a coworking space where you can work in peace. Just make sure they’re following proper safety procedures.
Have a Backup Plan
No plan survives contact with the enemy. This holds true for any plan in almost any circumstance. Hiccups will occur, the moving truck will be late, or you’ll have an inconvenient emergency pop up at just the wrong time.
So, make contingencies in case something happens. If your schedule is disrupted, then make sure to have someone cover for you at work; or, if you’re a freelancer, keep your project manager/client in the loop and tell them that you might be unavailable for a few days. In case your internet isn’t working, try to use your cellphone as a hotspot – this may require getting a prepaid data card or a plan that can handle a lot of traffic.
If you have friends at your destination, ask them for help. Close contact is difficult because of COVID, but if you follow proper safety guidelines, maybe you can arrange to work from their place for a while.
Make sure to have contact information for reliable electricians, plumbers, interior decorators, and other service providers who can hop in and do any work you need on short notice.
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Schedule Some Time Off
Finally, take some time for yourself, after all, is said and done. Read, relax, watch Netflix, and/or spend time with your loved ones. Yes, we’ve been harping on being productive and not missing work, but some R&R is probably essential if you’re going to maintain your productivity and overall well-being.
Take an extra day or two off when the move is finally over so you can catch your breath. As we said, moving is stressful, so you’ll need some time to recharge your batteries and adapt to the new environment.
Wrapping Up
There you have it, some basic tips on how to stay productive while working from home during a move. It all boils down to planning and preparation. Make sure everything is ready before you even start packing and have backups, just in case.
Finally, take care of yourself and try not to overstress because of the whole process. Staying safe, well-balanced, and healthy is the best way to stay productive, no matter the circumstances.