Introduction

The coronavirus epidemic upended work routines for hundreds of millions of people who routinely went into an office, classroom, coffeeshop, co-working space, or other facility.

This displacement has lasted weeks to months depending on the part of the world you’re in, and things aren’t going to go back to what we used to call normal, even as offices and schools reopen across 2020.

Through 2020 and likely well into 2021, you may work entirely at home or in a mix with part of the time in an office and part in your home. Some companies have even said they will never return workers to offices; others are in no hurry.

If you used to spend most of your work time out of the house and were accustomed to something like an office for structure, socialization, focus, and resources, it’s been a bit shift already. This book is here to help you continue to navigate these changes in the short and long haul.

We authors of Take Control titles have racked up hundreds of years of home-office experience across our collective careers, and wanted to offer some advice that we hope aids you as you settle into a longer-term reality of working from home. I also solicited tips from folks who regularly or always work at home to provide more insight.

Working from home can be a challenge—and it can be an opportunity. No one style or set of advice works for everyone. If you have an employer or manager who can roll with the punches, you can find a style that lets you be efficient, calm, and productive while reassuring them about the quantity and quality of work you perform.

This isn’t necessarily going to be easy. We’re all in it together. Let’s get through this and find a new way forward.