In the COVID-19 world: Advice from a Buffalo Grove couple who have worked at home for years

As offices throughout Illinois shut down amid concerns over the coronavirus, many suburban employees are adjusting to a major change in their daily routines: working from home.

For some, it may be difficult to stay productive in a secluded environment. Others might have trouble avoiding distractions all day, especially while working under the same roof as their spouse or children.

The trick is treating your home office the same as a normal workplace, while still enjoying the advantages of being in a comfortable setting, said Michael and Janet Shamberg, who work exclusively from their Buffalo Grove home. That means it's OK to wear sweatpants, but save the errands and household chores for after work hours.

For those new to the work-from-home lifestyle, finding a balance can be easier said than done, they said, especially amid the chaos and uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic.

Michael, who works in sales, has been working from home for more than three years, while Janet has been handling her job in medical records remotely for about twice as long. Here's how the Shambergs have managed to do it for years:

Q: How do you stay productive?

Janet: You have to forget that you're at home. You have to remember that you're doing a job, and everything else can wait until you're done with work.

Michael: It's a matter of discipline. Some people can have it from the get-go, and some people have to kind of - especially if it's new for them - force themselves into discipline.

Q: When you first started working from home, what were your biggest challenges?

Michael: My biggest concern was the whole discipline aspect. I was used to being in an office. Now at home, I never put a television in my office because I was trying to avoid distractions. ... If I'm downstairs, a lot of times I cannot hear my phone ring and I don't like missing a phone call, so in general that would also keep me in and around my office.

Janet: I supervise 17 people, and it's a challenge because back in the day when we were all in the same room, you could say, “Everyone walk over here and look at this.” Some people are visual learners, and (it's difficult) when we're not looking at the same thing at the same time.

Q: What are some perks of working from home?

Janet: You have the luxury of setting up the work environment you work best in. ... I work better with background noise, so I have the TV on all day. It is totally white noise.

Michael: I'll have music on all day. That plays back to the idea of getting as comfortable as you can.

Janet: Another thing is you don't have any travel time. That's huge because for people who are typically driving for an hour ... look how much time you're gaining being home.

Michael: For some people, that could be an extra half-hour or 45 minutes of sleep. Or they can take their time and make themselves breakfast. Whatever it is, you have that extra time.

Q: How do you stay out of each other's way when you both work from home?

Janet: We have two totally separate offices, and if we're on the phone and we can hear each other talking, we shut the door.

Michael: We'll have some communication, but we pretty much keep to ourselves most of the day.

Q: What advice do you have for couples or roommates who might be in closer quarters?

Michael: That comes down to simple respect for each other and understanding that you have to work (and) you need your space. Even from the standpoint of, if you're on the phone, making sure there's not a lot of background noise. Even if that means sequestering yourself to your bedroom if you have multiple people in an apartment or a house. That's probably the best way to do it, especially starting off, so you don't have those distractions. ... At this point, you're not used to the environment you're in, let alone having all those nonworking people around you.

Janet: You also have to know what the expectations of your jobs are.

Q: What is your typical morning routine?

Michael: I generally get up. I'll shower. I'll get my act together. I will get dressed. I will make coffee and go into my office and get into it.

Janet: Me, not so much. ... I definitely take advantage of the fact that I'm working from home and do not have to (get ready). For some people, like Michael, I feel like he probably feels like he's more productive because he's in the gear for going to work. I don't find that (necessary).

Q: How do you avoid daily distractions, such as social media or personal calls?

Janet: You'd be lying to say that you do.

Michael: I am on social media, I'm checking news sites and sports scores throughout the day, and that's just part of my routine. But I'm not on it for 45 minutes at a time. ... You don't want to abuse it, but I believe you can certainly do it without interrupting your day.

Janet: Everybody knows I'm typically working until 3 p.m., so except for emergencies, people are very respectful of that fact. You let people know, “Do not contact me until after my hours.”

5 tips for setting up a home office

Michael and Janet Shamberg have been working out of their Buffalo Grove home for years. To avoid distractions and stay productive, they have created individual work spaces in separate rooms of their house.

Here are five essentials they recommend for setting up a home office:

• Try to replicate your desk and computer setup as closely as possible. If you're used to having two monitors at work, it's worth the investment to buy two monitors for home. Same goes for a phone headset.

• Spread out and give yourself as much space as you can.

• Avoid distractions. That means setting up your workstation in a room without a TV if you'll be inclined to watch it, or away from family members who might talk to you.

• Make sure you have a comfortable desk chair. A folding chair doesn't cut it for an eight-hour work day.

• Customize your work environment to fit your needs for being as comfortable and productive as possible.