In the midst of COVID-19, companies across the world have made work from home mandatory, something that experts had been trying to implement way before it became a compulsion. This has resulted in many first-timers to work from home. It is a unique situation that comes with a lot of freedom, which can be quite overwhelming at first. That’s why we have come up with a few tips and tricks along with smart gadgets (smart wearables) to balance things out and so that you can give your best to work without slacking off.
Go on and read on.
Establish a Separate Place
This one goes without saying; a designated workspace goes a long way when you are working from home. It clearly establishes your boundaries and prepares you mentally for the work ahead. But with that being said, not everyone has the luxury of having a separate room for their work, so this designated space can be as small as a corner in your room or a work desk. Ideally, that space should be a non-relaxing one unlike your bed or the balcony, but if that makes you efficient then do set up your work station.
Since it’s a starting, it may take some time for trial and error to find out your idle work corner.
Follow a Routine
Next up is the routine, it’s the one thing that takes a hit during WFH. With extra time in hand and almost no set boundaries, suddenly, your clients and boss can reach out to you any time, and that extends the working hours which is good for a short while but affects the morale and overall productivity in the long run. The best way to tackle this is by setting a routine. Start your work around the same time every day, make an everyday task list, and include a bit of screen time break just like you would in office. Take coffee or tea breaks, stretch your legs, and just check up on your family and kids from time to time.
Second most important point to remember is to clock out around the same time. Though in all honesty, it would be difficult to implement that considering when was it ever easy during office routines.
Dress Up
One of the hardest things to do when you are working from home is to dress up when you know no one would raise an eyebrow if you don’t get out of your shorts and get into something more professional. But changing clothes and getting into smart casuals can make a whole lot of difference. It can change our mindset, plus it contributes to our routine building.
Get Up on the Call
Working from home can be isolating even for those who don’t like to interact with people as much and prefer to work on their own. The quickest and surest way to get over this is to connect with your colleagues over video calls or phone calls. This is the time to hold those work video meetings and stay in the loop or just interact with them over messaging apps. These are some of the most trying times and hearing another friendly voice can be strangely calming.
Minimize the Distractions
WFH can be quite effective when we don’t have distractions. But that’s easier said than done. What with all books, various social media apps (TicTok, Instagram), streaming apps (Netflix, Amazon PRIME, Hotstar), and attention-demanding family in the background, it is quite difficult to stay grounded.
So, create a quiet zone and keep your distractions at bay with a little help from technology. Don your best noise-cancelling headphones, turn on the music and just power through your work as for other social media apps calling for your attention, wear your smart watch (NoiseFit Evolve, NoiseFit Fusion or ColorFit PRO 2, take your pick) and just choose the notification of importance and turn it on. Now comes the hardest part, keep your phone at a distance, preferably somewhere where you have to walk to get it back.
Take a Bit of Break
Now that you are spending so much time indoors, it is important to keep taking breaks in between to keep yourself fresh. Get out, do some gardening, maybe just go for a brisk walk in your balcony or inside the house, make a quick snack, listen to the podcast, the possibilities are endless. And after working hours are over and you log off for the day, make sure you don’t go back to it again just because you have your system at your disposal.
And most importantly, don’t let the confined space get to you or your creativity. Just like shift your perspective, your attitude would also shift. When you look for opportunities in any difficulty, the mind automatically shifts from a passive mode to a productivity mode.
So, take this time to catch up on things that you may not have had the time earlier or just simply relax.
Stay home and stay safe.