There’s more to working at home than figuring out if it’s OK to wear pajamas. As the coronavirus pandemic accelerated, businesses across the globe scrambled to set up work from home plans. Fortunately, you can find lots of great information about technology and office setup. Check out this Guide to Living Your Best Quarantined Life. Here’s a great tip about using Zoom for video calls; this list from Poynter outlines tools worth checking out.

As many navigate new ways of working, freelancers and self-employed workers can offer guidance beyond the logistics. Here are my top tips based on my experience working as a freelance writer and editor since 2013.

Check on each other. Just as you’d keep an eye on a neighbor, check in with other remote workers. It’s easy to get overwhelmed, distracted or lonely. It’s also easy to call, email or text a friend or colleague working alone.

Social distance does not mean social isolation. The biggest shock for new remote workers may be the silence of solitary work. I typically set up regular lunch, coffee and coworking dates with other solo workers to reduce feeling isolated. That’s not an option right now, but check out technology options and stay in touch.

Share resources. Don’t be the worker who hoards toilet paper. If you have a tool or expertise, share it or teach your colleagues.

Ask for help. One of the most humbling lessons of solo work after a daily newspaper career was recognizing how much I didn’t know. The most gratifying lesson was the number of people willing to help. Don’t be afraid to admit you don’t know how to use Zoom or create folders in Google Drive.

Be flexible. We’ve all had to make adjustments during this global health crisis.  Flexibility is an important skill long after this crisis abates.

Be efficient. Have you seen the recent New Yorker cartoon that pictures a man in his pajamas, working on a laptop? “My God … these meetings really could all have been emails,” reads the caption. We can all learn from that cartoon.

Keep a sense of humor. It’s unclear how long this crisis will last or when we’ll get back to familiar routines. Amid the worry and uncertainty, make time for laughter, too.