TextNow Working From Home

As mentioned in recent posts, we have been closely monitoring the spread of COVID-19. Our top priority is the health and safety of our employees, our partners, and our communities.

#StayHome #WFH

Last week we temporarily closed our offices, and all of our employees started working from home so we could do our part to reduce strain on the healthcare system and be responsible during this time. We wanted to share a few things we have going on and some tips the TextNow family has found helpful when working from home.

What’s New — A Home Office Series:

At TextNow, we’ve never been big on emails, and are pretty lucky to have adopted Slack early on. We have always had a variety of themed channels, everything from foodies or beer to music and wellness, and we have created a few new ones in recent weeks to help each other out. #KidIdeas is a new channel for parents to share ideas on how to keep kids busy while at home. Parents at TextNow know how to get creative with entertaining their kids!

Having multiple offices across North America also means we are not strangers to video conference calls. We use Zoom to hold meetings virtually, face to face.

Another initiative we have is a virtual water cooler for employees to take a break and socialize with colleagues that they may not have day-to-day contact with.

#WFH Tips and Tricks

We asked some of our team members to provide some insight into what’s helping them, and here’s what they had to say:

• Create boundaries: find a designated work space where you can get work done and leave when you need a break or are done for the day. And keep it clean and well organized. Make sure the space is separate from where you relax so you can maintain that work/life balance.
• Schedule regular calls with your team to stay connected and in-sync.
• Create a to-do list, so you can see all the things you have to complete.
• Schedule break time, so you don’t feel guilty when taking a break.
• Fight the urge to stay up late. It’s important to maintain a regular sleep schedule so you have the energy to remain productive during work hours. You can’t allow yourself to roll out of bed and get right to work.
• Take advantage of your unique situation. Lose the headphones and let your music or podcast fill the room. This especially helps if you are feeling isolated.

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If you too are working from home, leave a comment with any helpful tips or tricks that work for you!

Be sure to give our #HelpingHands series a read

Helping Hands: Stay Connected, Stay Healthy, Stay Safe

Times Are Tough, We’re Here to Help

Stay Informed: Where to Find Verified COVID-19 Updates