Since The COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak has officially reached the “Pandemic” stage. And we all pushed into a lockdown situation which is a difficult and complex time for us, as no one is used to this isolation. Also, because of these lockdowns, most companies around the globe have rolled out mandatory remote work for their employees. So, for most of us, this will be the first time to work from home and when we get into a work from home lifestyle, we all face unique challenges, not only because our personalities are different, but also due to our various kinds of lifestyles and the type of job we do. Still, many of the core challenges we face when we’re working from home are the same. Therefore, today I would like to share some common tips for leading a better and more productive work-from-home lifestyle. Keep on reading to know those simple and effective tips!
- Start Out Your Day with the Morning Routine
When you’re working in your office, the morning routine you follow can assist you to wake up early and make you feel ready to work by the time you reach your desk at the office. However, at home, the move from your bed to your computer can be much more annoying. So, it’s really important to have a morning routine as it’s the way to work from home productively. When you have a to-do list as soon as you wake up, it will help you to start your day energetically and can be the key to maintain productivity throughout your day. The morning routine before your work can be doing a morning workout or preparing a cup of hot coffee, whatever it is, having a morning routine before you start your work is really helpful for you to stay productive, while you’re working from home.
- Structure Your Schedule as You Would in the Office
When you’re working from home, you become your own personal manager. Without an in-person meeting schedule to get a break from your work, you can be quick to lose focus from your work or burn out yourself. So, establish a schedule that incorporates your work start and end time with the division of what you’ll do and when throughout the day. You can use an online calendar like Google Calendar to create your personal schedule and reminders that tell you when to end a task and begin on a new one. With the help of online calendars, it will become easy to create your schedule and manage your tasks.
- Make a Dedicated Workspace for Yourself
In this lockdown period, you’re going to work from home for certain days, so, it’s essential to find a dedicated and optimal workspace for yourself. Try to avoid cooping yourself up on the couch or in your bed because normally you use these places to relax, therefore it’s better to avoid these spots that remind you about your leisure time. Set a dedicated workspace somewhere with the essential things that let you work with concentration and give you a comfortable feeling.
- Schedule Rest Time and Breaks
Just like the way you take breaks in the office; you need rest time and breaks in-between your work-from-home schedule. Plan your breaks and make them a part of your day-to-day work schedule. if you are working full time from home then two 15 minutes breaks and an hour lunch break is ideal for you. These in-between breaks help you to recharge yourself and you can keep achieving your task goals effectively.
- Work at Your Most Productive Hours
No one runs through their work from morning to evening, your enthusiasm and motivation naturally die down as the day follows through. So, when you’re working from home, you need to find out your peak and low time to plan your schedule accordingly. Save your tougher tasks for your highly productive times and use slower times of the day to blow out the easier tasks. We call it “small acts of success” which help you to successfully achieve your everyday work goals.
- Use Technology to Stay Connected with Your Colleagues
Working from home might feel like you’re more focused on your work in the short term, but it can also make you feel cut off from your colleagues and the larger operation happening in the workplace that can make you feel disconnected, lonely, and isolated. So, it’s always good to use technology to stay connected with your colleagues, you can use the instant messaging app like flock or a videoconferencing tool like Zoom to check in with your colleagues and learn about the works in progress. This way you can keep a good working structure and relationship with your colleagues.
- Schedule a Closing Time for Your Work Each Day
You might be in this idea that when you are working from home you can keep a good work-life balance. But in reality, you can easily get so entrapped in your work, when you’re working in a relaxing atmosphere like home, that you totally miss the track of the time you’re spending. In-office when your coworkers packing up and leaving the office that reminds you to end your work. But in the home that’s not the case, so, you need to set an alarm or reminder to end your work each day, otherwise, you would burn out yourself without your knowledge. Also, this is the best way to maintain a work-life balance when you’re working from home.
- Keep a Positive Attitude ( IMPORTANT )
Last but not least, it’s very important to keep a positive mindset and attitude. Sure, it’s a difficult period for all of us to work from home, every one of us is facing different problems and challenges, but these are the challenges that define us as an individual. So, we need to take them with a positive mindset and keep moving onwards. Also, it’s important to maintain a positive attitude with your colleagues, as there are fewer face times and in-person interactions with your colleagues there are high chances for your colleagues to misinterpret your message in writing. So, always maintain a positive attitude, while you’re communicating with your colleagues virtually. Use the smile emoji as much as possible, trust me, friend, you’re going to need them more.
Conclusion
That’s all! So, I’ve put down eight simple and easy-to-apply tips for working from home. These are the common tips that I would like to share with you as an individual who is working from home for the first time due to the lockdowns. Even though we’re having different personalities, lifestyles, and working techniques, I hope these common tips will help you to optimize your work-from-home process. If you’re working from home, let me know your experience in the comments below! I would like to hear from you.
