SHARES
Working from home is the new norm. “Yes, I get to stay at home when working remotely but it’s hard for me to actually focus on work.”
With the spread of COVID-19, many companies are practising working from home (WFH) to slow the spread and flattening the curve. All the good things came to our mind when we think of working remotely: flexible schedule, no office distraction and so on.
Despite how surreal it sounds, work from home poses its own challenges and drawbacks. The pros and cons are the opposite side of the same coin. A highly disciplined and effective communication skills are needed to make it a success and productive. Here are some productive tips of how to work from home:
6 Tips to Working From Home Productively
Have A Routine
You have all the freedom and may feel tempted to stay in your pyjamas all day when working from home. However, it is harder to stay productive and motivated without a structured routine. Without one, one tends to have too much relaxation time or the opposite, overworking. A routine separates relaxation time and work time, and thus creating a work life balance.
Plan your schedule ahead. Know what time of the day when you are more alert and productive; and what time of the day when you prefer to unwind. Fill in your schedule based on the priorities of your tasks. This will make you get the most out of your time and rest when you need to.
It is also better to have a schedule that is flexible enough to accommodate some unforeseen obligations and emergencies.
Get Ready for Work
Again, though it sounds surreal to use your work commute time for more sleep, but getting ready for work helps shift your mind to prepare for work. Gear up for the day – have a nice shower, drink a cup of coffee, put working attires on, or whatever else to put you ready for work, physically and mentally.
Get to work just as if you are driving across town to your office, although you might be just moving to your next room. You can even read, or do some light stretching in your commute time to mentally clock in to your work.
Photo by Howard middleton-jones from Flickr
Have A Workplace
Have a place dedicated for your work so that your work doesn’t intrude live of others and you can concentrate. Like a structured routine, a workplace also helps setting boundaries between work mode and home mode.
Choose a conducive place with minimum distraction (communicate with others beforehand so no interruptions from another room when you are engaged in a project unless emergencies). You may want to have a comfortable chair that let your concentrate on work instead of your aching lumbar region. Also, a standing table might help if you don’t like sitting for too long.
Stay Connected With the Office
One of the biggest challenge of working from home is the difficulty of communication. After all, humans are social creatures. Isolated for too long can make us feel lonely and unmotivated. Social interactions with coworkers can alleviate feeling of loneliness, and facilitates cooperation and closeness. So, talk to coworkers or friends who are undergoing the same experience as you. It is more energising with human interactions, so use more video calls instead of text or email.
Self-care to stay Healthy
Staying stuck in front of a screen all day is not good for you. It is detrimental for your health and kills your productivity. Take small breaks in between work hours. Get some fresh air and natural light by taking a walk in your garden.
Enjoy other areas of your home: reading a book, cooking a meal, watching a movie, do yoga. You can have a nap to refresh your mind and energy level. Most importantly, with adaptations, continue with exercising even when stuck at home.
Photo by Gene McDaniel from Flickr
Be Kind To Yourself
While working remotely, you hardly run out of things to do. So, knowing when to stop is important. Once your planned working hour is over, switch your work mode to “do not disturb” in your communication devices. Walk away from your workplace, physically and mentally. Pick up where you left off the next day. By doing this, you can prevent yourself from blurring the line between work and home, and burning out.
Photo by Ricky Marin from Flickr
Conclusion
After all, work life balance is key when it comes to working from home. Do not let distraction creep up on you, do not let work dominate your life. Keep the boundaries clear.
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References:
1. Barbier L. 5 work from home productivity tips [Internet]. Aircall. 2020 [Available from: https://aircall.io/blog/customer-happiness/remote-productivity-tips/; last uodated on 2020 Apr 9; last accessed on 2020 Apr 17]
2. Austin P. 5 tips for staying productive and mentally healthy while you’re working from home [Internet]. TIME USA,LLC. 2020 [Available from: https://time.com/5801725/work-from-home-remote-tips/; last updated on 2020 Mar 12; last accessed on 2020 Apr 17]
by Chang Xian
View all articles by Chang Xian.
