Many people both here in Zambia, and around the world, are now working from home due to the current pandemic. If you are not used to working from home then you might be finding it to be a difficult and isolating experience. But as well as staying focused and motivated with your work you can also potentially increase your career prospects. Being stuck at home offers you a real opportunity to network with others and to develop new skills to further your career.
Update your CV
When was the last time that you sat down and updated you CV? Now you have more time on your hands, take the opportunity to freshen up your important career document. Even if you are not planning to search for a new job, bringing your CV up to date and fine-tuning its details and appearance will save you time and stress later on if a new opportunity does arise.
By updating your CV you will also focus on what you have already achieved, what skillsets you might be missing and where you would like your career to take you. For tips on how to refresh up your CV go to our Careers Advice page.
Learn a new skill
Why not take advantage of your time at home to advance your skillsets? Normally you would be out visiting friends, playing sports and socialising. Now that you are at home, why not use this time to advance your career by taking an online course.
The internet provides a range of ways to advance your knowledge base. You can find online courses to brush up on your administration skills, for example how to put together presentations, or learning formulas for spreadsheets. If you are lacking the key skills for your job, then why not sign up for an online course?
Keep connected and boost your online networking
Following advice from the Ministry of Health to maintain social distancing and to stay at home might lead you to feel isolated. So stay in regular contact with your colleagues and managers, both by email and by chatting to them.
Networking should be part of your daily routine, but if you have been missing out on growing your professional network, then now is a great time to catch up and find out what is new in your sector and connecting with other professionals. So why not take advantage of online forums and platforms to reconnect with your professional colleagues. See our page on how to set up a professional LinkedIn profile.
Learn more about conservation and the environment
Maybe you have a great understanding of your specific sector, but know little about how it fits into the bigger global picture. You now have the time to learn more about the sector you work in.
Why not research your industry’s history online by reading news articles and academic papers, or join forums to discuss relevant present-day issues. Or you can join one of the many free online courses on conservation, the environment and climate change which are designed by international Universities. These will give you a better understanding of the world we live in and a chance to chat online with like-minded people from around the world. For more ideas, check out our online courses page.
Improve your time management
When working from home you can easily lose focus or get distracted. So learn how to tackle key work tasks whilst also managing your daily life at home. Challenging as this might seem, it will give you a great lesson in prioritising and time management.
List the things that are not working for you to stay on schedule. Plan what you need to do and when. If you have an online calendar you can create personal events and reminders that tell you when to start on new tasks or when to take a break. You can then use this new skillset to guide your approach to your job when you are once again back in your office.
Calling all photographers, wildlife enthusiasts and artists. Why not get creative and enter Bats Without Borders Batty Art Competition?
“Bats are having a harder time than ever before, so we are running our first art competition to promote a positive image of bats.“
This is a great opportunity for you to show off your creative skills. The focus is on southern African species, but why not use your artistic side to create positive bat images with a vibrant African feel? Also welcomed are illustrations of southern African bat species if that’s more your style
All mediums of art and photography are welcome!
Deadline: World Environment Day – 5th June 2020
For more information contact Bats Without Borders at info@batswithoutborders.org
Wildlife experts and campaigners from across the world have united to try and persuade the World Health Organisation (WHO) to issue a formal statement regarding a global ban on live wildlife markets (known as wet markets), due to their threat to human health in relation to the current COVID-19 pandemic.
WHO had stated that ‘governments must rigorously enforce bans on the sale and trade of wildlife for food’.
In reply, Lion Coalition wrote – ‘We applaud WHO for stating that governments must rigorously enforce bans on the sale and trade of wildlife for food. However, in most countries such bans don’t exist. We also note that there are many ways in which wildlife is utilised, like the use of wild animals for the production of traditional medicine, that could pose a risk to human health.’
The open letter also asked WHO to assist with awareness-raising activities to inform the public of the risks of the wildlife trade to individual health and economic stability, and asked WHO to support and encourage initiatives to deliver alternative sources of protein to further reduce the risk to human health.
Joining the 339 worldwide organisations were our local Kasanka Trust, Bats Without Borders and ARC, who supported the Lion Coalition’s open letter to Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and Dr Zhang Qi of WHO which was sent on 21st April 2020.
Women for conservation is a networking platform created by three passionate ladies in conservation. Sarah Davies, Luwi Nguluka and Bwalya Chibwe had in mind the lack of women in Zambian conservation when creating this platform. This is not to say there are no women working in conservation in Zambia but rather that they are very few. A reason for this could be that the nature of the job is a tad demanding. Most of these jobs are in remote areas and require working over long periods of time outdoors.
This platform was created to avail networking opportunities to women and men interested in working in or already working in conservation. To attest to the public that anyone can work in conservation without necessarily working outdoors all the time or in remote areas. This has provided a safe space for women and men working in and outside conservation to meet and get to know one another better at the quarterly meetings held.
These quarterly meeting are always educational, insightful and exciting. The last three events looked something like this;
A Nature walk in Forest reserve 27 with Quentin Allen
This walk was facilitated by Quentin Allen who is a visual storyteller that stays near the forest and is no stranger to the reserve and conservation. It was a perfect time to get people closer to the reserve in order to better understand the ecological services it offers and why we should conserve it.
Game meat Grilling with Tecla Ngwenya
We ended 2019 on a high note with a Legal gamemeat braai that focused on sensitizing the attendants on the illegalities and dangers of bushmeat. The guest speaker of the event -Ms Tecla, is a global award winner of leadership in tourism with about 19 years’ experience in the hospitality and game ranching industry. The Bushmeat campaign “This Is Not a Game” (www.thisisnotagame.info ) was presented and so was the variety of legal game meat going round.
Drinks and Networking with Chaona Phiri and Chanda Mwale
A deep dive into soft skills as a topic of discussion by two ladies ascending ranks in challenging conservation fields. Chaona Phiri is Bird watch Zambia’s programs manager and Chanda Mwale is Worldwide fund for Nature’s water stewardship manager. The ladies discussed soft skills necessary in any workplace and how to acquire them as they are not taught in classroom set ups. The outdoor event was an amazing opportunity for students and graduates to learn a thing or two
So next time you are looking to network with Conservationists and like-minded people follow this link to the Women for Conservation Facebook page and RSVP for the upcoming event WomenForConservationZambia
As the Corona virus spreads globally more people are working from home. Some of the biggest challenges can be managing your time productively, becoming easily distracted and struggling with loneliness. As our schools are currently closed, working parents now have the extra pressure of juggling work and family life.
So we have come up with some tips on how to get through this – and don’t forget, even if you might feel isolated, you are not alone!
Choose a dedicated work space
Whilst it is tempting to sit on your sofa or stay in bed with your laptop, do not fall into this trap. It might seem comfier, but in the longer term you will find you are sitting in positions that could damage your back and impair your health. Instead, create a dedicated work space – this could be a corner of a room, or if space allows, a separate room for your home office. This will help you focus and be more organised and productive.
At the end of your working day, write your ‘to do’ list for the following day, turn off your computer and tidy your desk. This will help you to switch off from ‘work mode’ making it easier to switch back to ‘home mode’ – it is important to create distance between your workspace and home life.
Get into a routine & get dressed!
Although it is tempting to go straight from your bed to your work space, treat your day as a normal working day and go through your usual morning routine – set your alarm, get dressed and have breakfast. Start your day with a clear plan and check in with your manager or colleagues.
To stay on schedule, plan your day, dividing your time up into segments, setting out what to do and when. You can create a calendar or personal reminders that will let you know when to take breaks or when to start on a new task.
Take a break
It is important for you to find time during the day to take a break. Don’t just sit in your chair in front of your computer – get up and get active! This could mean some simple stretches, catching up on chores around the house, playing football with your children, or tending your garden. You can even go online and join a yoga or workout class. Setting a time will remind you when to take a break and when to get back to work. This will help to clear your head and you will then be more focused for when you return to your work space.
Communicate with others
No one knows how long social distancing will last, or how long we will be working from home for, but being out of the office does not mean you are alone. Making a call is often quicker and more effective than sending an email, but the use of technology such as Whatsapp, LinkedIn, Skype or Face Time, means you can stay connected with your colleagues.
Choose how to communicate so that you can easily stay in contact, finding out about important issues and catching up on news, giving you much needed social contact. Your team can even share calendars so everyone is updated or you can set up social media groups to easily communicate quick messages. Finding the right balance and means of communication is essential – don’t constantly send messages as they can be a real distraction and if your current ways of communicating aren’t working then suggest another method.
Communication is also important in maintaining your mental health as well as making sure you are in regular contact with your colleagues and clients. It is important to keep to business hours, and switch off your communications at the end of your work day so that you have time to relax in your home.
Minimise distractions
It is easy to get distracted – by social media, your favourite TV program or by others who are living with you in your home. Whilst having a housemate, partner or family at home is great in terms of having company, it can also be distracting when you need a quiet space to work. So when working turn off your social media, set your phone to silent, turn down the television or radio and ask others to respect your work time.
For working parents it can be difficult to balance working, home schooling, and keeping the household running smoothly. So it is important to get everyone on board and set boundaries for when you are in work mode. This might mean setting a schedule with your partner to take turns caring for your children. Also make sure your children understand that you can only be interrupted for emergencies and don’t forget to schedule times for them – to help with homework, have family meals and to all play and spend quality time together. Just because you’re working from home doesn’t mean you’re home!
Know when to stop
You might think that working from home makes for an easier work-life balance, but the lines can become blurred between work time and personal time. This is why you should set your working hours, and once you have reached a set time, turn off your computer and walk away from your workspace.
There is always work to do and unless it is urgent, it will still be there tomorrow. So know when to stop and then enjoy your personal time which will make you fresher and more focused for the next morning. You can set an alarm to remind you to end your working day.
In conclusion…
Working from home will be different for everyone. So by sticking to a planned routine, having a dedicated work space, communicating with others, minimising distractions, and keeping your work and home life separate it will make you more productive and make working from home much easier.
Why not share your working from home tips with us – what works for you and what are your biggest distractions and challenges?
