Best Tips for Working from Home
Working from home and working virtually are two phrases that are always connected. Working from home means that you are carrying out your everyday work, but are not going to the office and attending all the meetings virtually over the internet. Usually, working from home is something that freelancers do, however, from the moment Covid-19 took over the world and the lockdown was imposed in every other corner of the world, work from home has become a norm. Some find it useful and consider it as a good thing while others are having trouble working productively in the absence of a proper working environment.
More and more people are resorting to working from home due to the prevailing situation, which does not seem to be getting any better. Authorities and experts fear that this afflicted situation will remain the same for another couple of months.e
According to the recent survey, working from home can be more effective than working in an office. They say remote workers are much more productive. When at home, you are working virtually over the internet, having team meetings on video calls, and discussing daily plans, routines, and tasks. In this scenario, some become more productive while others struggle. One apparent benefit of home-based work is that it reduces costs for the employer and the employee. However, it is a prevalent opinion that working from home is not the best thing, as it can negatively impact your productivity and mental health if not managed effectively.
Techniques to Efficiently Work from home
There is a deluge of research on whether working from home is useful or not, and it turns out that it makes you better at some tasks and worse at others. Below are some tips that will help you to make the most out of remote working.
1. Give yourself a dedicated workspace
Whether it is a room, a desk, or a balcony, you need to create a separate space that you can instantly associate with work and disassociate from the rest of your home. Having a dedicated workspace can also help reduce distractions, like social media.
2. Stick to the Schedule
Set a morning routine. Take a proactive approach rather than jump-starting on the task on the top of the inbox. You have to make a schedule and then follow it through. Take a shower, get dressed up, and go to the workspace at home how you would go to the office. Doing the same thing before getting started can be a helpful signal to your brain that you are switching into work mode. For example, getting dressed or exercising first thing in the morning helps wake up the body and marks the transition into the workday, when it can otherwise be tempting to open your computer in bed. You have to do the same things that go into your daily morning routines when you are leaving the house. What you need to avoid is the trap of sleeping a little longer and not showing up on time.
3. Schedule uninterrupted focus time
There can be innumerable small things like personal pending chores that can distract you when working remotely. As part of your plan, make sure that you carve out some chunks of time for focused, uninterrupted work. Make a list of what is acceptable and what is unacceptable during office hours for example when you are at work, you are not allowed to play games or listen to music or watch Netflix.
4. Make a to-do list
Take a piece of paper or a writing pad and jot down your tasks for the day. Set your priorities, what you wish to do today, and what you plan on avoiding. This method enables you to effectively plan out your day, increasing your chances of accomplishing prioritized tasks. There are many free and paid time management tools that can help in setting your priorities straight.
5. Take Breaks
You have to let yourself take micro-breaks—the main reason why productivity increases while working from home is because you are in complete control. When we take micro-breaks, it relaxes our brain. When we relax, our mind is re-energized, and we end up making fewer errors because of all of the unwinding activity. It would help if you kept a schedule, and in the meantime, you got to be flexible enough to take short pauses in between.
6. Don’t leave ‘WORK’ in the middle.
You have to set up a routine for yourself that you’re working from 9-5 or 8-4 or whatever time fits you, and during that, you’re allowed to take multiple pauses and short breaks for relaxation but are not allowed to leave at any cost. That would decrease your productivity rate. You have to stick to the schedule like you have to in an office.
7. Set the clock for ending your day
Set the time that you are going to end your day at; don’t drag unless it’s crucial. You have to finish it up before your clock hits the end time. You have to stick to your starting time and end time.
8. Keep Moving
You can surely go and take a walk for a while. You could walk around your backyard or neighborhood, or even go to your rooftop for some fresh air. Or if you prefer, maybe dance around for 30 minutes to your favorite music. Such activities will help you relax and consequently make you more productive when you resume working.
9. Quit at the quitting time
Even if you are in the middle of something or stuck somewhere in between, you still may have to quit at the quitting time because you don’t want to overload the things in your head. Once you do that, your productivity rate would start to fall.
10. Celebrations!!!!
So the last and the most important thing is to celebrate your wins. Whatever task you finish or whatever you accomplish, you have to take a few minutes and applaud yourself so that the next time you are working, you will be relaxed and very focused and eager to applaud your wins. By celebrating, you might feel better about your day when it’s over and would be excited for the days to come.
In my opinion, celebrations are the most beneficial way to increase your productivity rate and to stay motivated.
One of the most effective ways workers can stay productive is by taking micro-breaks throughout the day. While working from home does come with many perks, you get to work in your pajamas; you get to hang out with your family or pets while working. But the lack of structuring can create many challenges.
These were the tips that will make you useful for the company and increase your productivity rate. There might come a time when you feel like you couldn’t do enough at the end of the day. That’s pretty normal, and once you gain momentum, things would automatically start working for you.