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The coronavirus-led lockdown has introduced a new term in almost everyone’s life – Working from Home. While for people who’ve been working remotely before the pandemic forced it on most of us, it is just like a regular day at work. But for people who’re experiencing this for the first time and are finding it tough to get accustomed with the new normal, it is important to identify things that can help maintain work-life balance yet get the maximum out of your regular working hours.
Here are a few quick tips that can help you stay productive while working from home:
Set up a home office: Treat remote working as just an extension of your regular office work and not a leisure activity or a one time task where you can lie on the couch, enjoy Netflix, munch your favourite snacks while finishing up the pending work. Since this is going to be a long-term fair, setting up a proper home office is the idea. This also helps in training family members to maintain decorum while you’re at work.
Finding a distractions free space at your home that has access to ample daylight and fresh air is a key. Next important task is finding a table that not only houses your laptop/computer but has space for other accessories as well and a comfortable chair.
Also make sure you have an ample supply of power points to charge your laptop, smartphones, and other gadgets. Since the internet is the backbone of the entire work from homes set up, making your home office has seamless internet connectivity.
Get those accessories: While working from home you should ensure that your sitting posture is correct. If you’re using a laptop for your office tasks, then hooking it up with an external monitor so that your back remains straight as you face the monitor is always a good idea. Further investing in an external keyboard and an ergonomic mouse makes total sense. If you face regular power cuts in your area, then investing in an inverter or a power backup is also a good idea.
Fix up a routine: Once you have your work desk in place, try to chalk out a routine that is easy and you can stick with it for the course of your work duration. Do make sure you include a few quick 5-10 minutes breaks at regular intervals like the ones we are used to taking while at the office. Staring at the monitor for a long duration may be stressful and these breaks can help you regather and recoup.
Plan your day and dress for it: It is important to set up an agenda for the day. Spend 5-10 minutes setting this up before you start your day. This helps you stay on course and helps you prioritise the tasks accordingly. Also, since we are used to working in formals while at the office, try continuing the same to train your mind that you’re still working out of your office and once your office hours are over, change back to your casual avatar. This also helps in switching off from the work-related stress and getting back into the regular family routine.
Even though working, however, since you’re at home all the time, you may have to do some random household tasks and it is absolutely ok to do that. These tasks help you to quickly disconnect from the regular work-related stress and work like breaks that we mentioned above. However, maintaining discipline is key here.
Communicate more: Due to the pandemic outbreak outdoor activities are limited and due to social distancing norms people refrain from meeting personally. With work from home added to the mix, you’re confined to your work desk most of the time. Hence communicating often with the team members, friends, and relatives over a video call where you can see them help a lot in more ways than we can imagine. It helps you to de-stress, share your thoughts more clearly and most importantly keeps you connected with your closed ones.
