Working from Home has been a routine for many, but if you been forced to work from Home because of the Coronavirus impact, here are some tips I think can help you stay sain and productive while you work from Home. I have worked from home a couple of times, especially when there are long holidays, and following all these have helped me a lot.
Tips for working from Home
1] Routine
We are most comfortable at our Home. Lazy to get up, and it feels we have a world of time when you need to stay at home. But you need to work; you cannot get into the act of procrastination. You cannot be lazy. What you need is a routine and will follow it strictly. You will have all sorts of distractions right from pets to kids to families, and of course, the doorbells. Unless you are disciplined enough, you will not be paid for sure.
Set up a routine. Imagine nothing has changed except that your office is the next room. Everything else remains the same. So follow your daily routine as usual, and hit your home desk the time you leave for work. The best part, you can start working early, and will not be tired of the commute.
2] Focus and set rules with family
You need to talk to your family and involve them in helping you focus by not interrupting unless required. Your kid is going to be super happy seeing you all day, and then your pet. If you are the only person working, do not get involved in the home routine. Done that, the next thing is to keep everything on low priority. Messages, Social Media, Calls, and everything else. Unless it involves work, turn them silent. Follow good Digital Parenting Tips.
It’s going to hard initially because you are the only person working in the room. It might be almost silent. Well, time to put some music on!
3] Add entertainment unless it’s distracting
If you always wanted to play music while you worked, or want a video to keep looping in the background because it’s too silent. Here is your chance. There are tons of music streaming services, and any of them should do. You can use a headphone or put it on speaker. Anything that helps to keep your mood up, and doesn’t distract
4] Set up a dedicated space for work
Its time to build your cubicle. If you arent used to, do not plan to work from bed. Setup everything right from the internet, table, chair, speakers, anything that can get close to your work setup or make it better. If more than one person used the desk, you would have to sign a contract with them on a schedule.
If your company has asked you to work from Home, check if you have everything you need to work from Home. I am sure they have budgets to help people out in these cases.
Download: Microsoft’s Essential guide to working from home.
5] Online Training Opportunities
If you always craved to learn something new but never had time, you have that now. The time that went to commute can now be used to learn something new. There are tons of online tutorials and professional training courses. You can even think of doing online brainstorming sessions with your office colleagues.
6] The Mini Breaks
They are important. Depending on your workload, take these small breaks. Make your coffee, get down, and walk a little. A ten-minute meditation or yoga is not a bad idea either. If you don’t like anything about these, read a book or a newspaper. However, do not turn on your phone and start socializing.
You can always take your breaks with your family. I am sure they will be delighted to find you at home more often, and there is nothing terrible about it.
Read: Free Windows Software to help you Work from Home.
7] Lunch Breaks & Quick Naps
We all have wanted to do this, and now you have your chance. I know how tough it is resisting that. Have a light meal. Do not overeat, but take a nap. It will help you get some rest, and you will be fresh to get back to work. Put an alarm so you don’t oversleep.
Read: Security tips to protect data when working remotely.
8] Evening Walks and Sleep
Once you are done with your work, it’s a good idea to get out for a walk or jog. Remember, if it was the usual office, you were either stuck in your office for a special meeting or in the traffic. Use it for a walk so you can get a good sleep.
You must sleep enough. Since you do not need to get up on time because the office is next room, it can be cheesy. If you start watching online series late at night, everything will go for a toss. Remember, this WFH is not a one-week thing. Most of us will be stuck for a month at least, and you need your salary on time.
9] Keep Guests away
It sounds a little tight, but since we are all in the same boat, its best not to gather up for the meet and treat. Even if anyone drops by, and it’s not urgent, you may politely ask them to join back in the evening.
10] Don’t be too hard on yourself
All these tips mean that you should work as you were working in an office. But they do not mean you need to stress out yourself. There is no harm doing all small things at home, but it should not affect your work. So maybe you can always take weekends off as you ever did, and enjoy time with your family.
Read: Can the whole Internet crash? Can overuse bring down the Internet?
Working from Home is not easy, especially when you are not used to it. There are too many distractions. There is a lot of comforts. However, under the current scenario, it’s not something you will have to do it for years, it could be months. All you need is the right routine, and support from your family to get through it. I hope the tips for working from home came in handy.
