Learning and Adjusting To Technology
Coronavirus (COVID-19) has forced many of us to learn new technology, systems, and platforms. Before the Stay Home Orders, I've never heard of Zoom. So, there's been a learning curve for all of us as we try to do our jobs from home.
Obviously, we all have different careers, technology, tasks, and levels of access to equipment. My wife, friends, and family have all struggled with transitioning from the office to home. So, I want to share my successes and failures of my 6+ years of working from home. Hopefully, you can learn from my mistakes. And remember to be kind to others, and yourself, as we all struggle through these anxious times.
1) Challenge Accepted: You can do this. Keep an open mind and understand that there will be setback and other frustrations as you try to figure things out. At the end of the day, you'll have a new skill.
2) Ask For Help: Finding help has never been easier. Ask your co-worker, friend, family, or search Google and YouTube for solutions. You're not alone in the search for answers.
3) Give Up: For a while, I was having difficulty completing some projects. It was frustrating and it took me a while to figure out why: distractions. We need to give up dramatic news on the TV, loud music on the radio, all social media, and/or chores around the house during work hours. I know this can be very difficult with your partner, roommates, kids, pets, elderly parents, etc at home. But, it's important to set boundaries and working hours.
4) Attention: You need to give up distractions so you can give your full attention to learning your new skill. "Multitasking" is a lie and a ineffective myth. "Multitasking" is shorthand for half-assing, inefficient, error-prone, stress-inducing, mundane generating, possibly dangerous behavior. When you accept a task, focus on that until completion.
5) Practice, Practice, and Practice Again: Our brains have evolved to learn from experience and repetition. Experience and repetition. Again, experience and repetition...
This is when co-workers, friends, and family are really useful. Don't know how to use Zoom? Call someone. Don't feel comfortable with presenting a slideshow on Microsoft Teams? Do a test run with a co-worker. My wife and I constantly test work projects with each other. One pretends to be the audience while the other is the performer. We find problems, define them, make improvements, adjust, and try again.
6) Is This Worth It?: At some point, we all get frustrated and hit a wall. We say to ourselves "is this worth it," "I don't want to do this," or maybe "this is a waste of time." Learning a new skill is always worth it. For example, I didn't realize working from home was a skill until I started working from home and was failing. I had to learn to set up my work space, set work hours, make a routine, etc. It was a craft I learned and developed for purely personal reasons. Until my wife's office moved into the family room and I started getting "help" messages from friends and family, I didn't realize I had become an expert at working from home. And, by sharing my experiences and helping others, I continue to discover new and better techniques.
7) Don't Forget To Have Fun!: Make it a game. Reward yourself for completing a task. Celebrate with co-workers. Winning is fun. Success is fun. But, to win and have success, you have to have fun doing the process. For me, it's getting cookies and candy after some achievement. Or maybe some whiskey for a celebration. When you've completed a goal (large or small), make sure you find ways (large and small) to cheer.
Mike Kraus was born on the industrial shoreline of Muskegon, Michigan. After earning his Fine Arts Degree from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, he attended Grand Valley State University for his graduate degree. From there, he gained varied experiences from the Chicago Architecture Foundation, Art Institute of Chicago, Hauenstein Center For Presidential Studies, Lollypop Farm Humane Society, and the Children's Memorial Foundation. And every place he worked, he had his sketchbook with him and found ways to be actively creative. In 2014, Kraus became a full-time artist by establishing Mike Kraus Art. Since then, he has sold hundreds of paintings that are displayed in nearly every state and dozens of countries. Currently, Kraus lives in Rochester, New York with his beautiful wife and goofy dog.
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