Work from home has become the new paradigm today, as the world battles to hold its own against the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic that has put global economies in a tizzy. Everywhere, people are now getting to work in their pyjamas, connecting with colleagues on team calls and trying new ways of keeping the business going, against all the odds. We’re all together in this, and to help you, we’ve put together some practical tips to make your working from home days more productive. Here they are:
Stay Disciplined
At the office, you probably had regular schedules. While a strict 9 to 5 schedule may not be possible at home, you should try to maintain the same timelines that you would have in the office. Establish your login time, time for breaks and set the time when you would log out at the end of the day. It’s best to send a message to colleagues that just because they are available at all times of the day, you will not be responding to messages at midnight. A good work-life balance will keep you on track and help you to stay focussed.
Carve Out A Fully Organised Work Space
You must allocate a quiet space for your work office, and set it up for maximum productivity. Organise your desk well, and make space to store all the resources, papers and stationery you need close by so that you don’t need to keep moving around while you’re working. If your work involves creative thinking, and you are more comfortable curled up on the sofa or outdoors on the balcony, then that can become your primary workspace. Your work habits will determine the way you set up your space.
Declutter Your Workspace
There’s a reason why office spaces are usually neat as a pin. Regardless of where you are going to work, if it’s messy then you will not have a clear enough mind to be productive. Even if the rest of your home looks like a tornado has just visited, make sure that the area around your desk is clean and bright. Throw out anything you don’t need. Keep a trash bin close by and empty it every single day.
Plan Ergonomics
The world has realized that working from home has a lot of benefits, and if you are going to be doing this a lot in the conceivable future you must set yourself up in a good position. Your chair should be ergonomically designed and offer the right back support. Your wrists should be in the ideal position to avoid repetitive stress injury. You should have ample task lighting so that your eyes do not get stressed. Working on a laptop, lounging in bed with poor posture can cause your back undue misery a few years down the line. Always maintain proper body alignment. Better safe than sorry.
Personalize Your Home Office
It’s always nice to work in a space that’s warm and cheery. Get some potted plants, keep the windows open and let the breeze in. Add a couple of posters and some scented candles, a salt lamp, or anything else that suits your sense of style.
Balance Household Chores
When you’re working from home, all too often household chores eat into your work time. Plan your day properly so that this does not happen. Will you need to cook for your family? If so, plan meals ahead of time. You can always cook on weekends and freeze meals that can be reheated when you need them. When you’re on work calls, if there’s a cooker whistling in the background, your concentration will be at an all-time low. Take it from someone who has been there and done that, the chances of ending up with burnt food are very high. Set a time for cleaning the house every day that doesn’t eat into your work hours. Laundry can be done on days when you are off from work.
Dress Up
While this is mostly a personal thing, many people find that dressing up for work, even if you’re at home, helps you to get into the right mindset. Especially in today’s connected world, when you answer a video call from a colleague you probably shouldn’t look like you’ve just got out of bed. It’s important to create the right impressions, even when you’re far away.
Create A To-do List And Set Goals
If you’re not already on some online planner, you should be. It’s all too easy to lose track of what your goals are, and unless you have set expectations of yourself, you will not be able to move ahead. Plan for a day, a week, or a month; and make sure that small targets are achieved, one day at a time. Never lose sight of the big picture.
Take Breaks
It’s crucial to take breaks when you are working from home. You are not meeting anyone. You are also not getting to see the outside world. Take 10-minute breaks every two hours, switch off all screens and relax your eyes. A walk around your home can refresh you and set you up to work with renewed vigour. Or you can take a break and make yourself a strong cup of coffee. Do remember, if you want to be productive every day and not just today, you should ensure you don’t get burnt out.
While your boss continues to have the same expectations from you during this time, unless your home environment is conducive to allowing you to focus on the tasks at hand, you will fall behind on productivity. We hope HomeLane’s tips have helped you to get your head in a better space so that you can smoothly make the transition to a virtual office!
