Businesses to keep working amidst the COVID-19 pandemic have come up with the unique idea of “work from home” for its employees. Working from home, however, is an art and not many are equipped with it, as it requires commitment and discipline. People who get distracted easily, or require a lot of supervision may find it challenging. There are, however, a few tips that can help you enjoy the benefits of working from home and having a career that you enjoy even during the crisis period.
Create A Working Desk At Home
For efficiently working from home and making the entire drill productive, select a room that is a little aloof from the house hustles. Invest in appropriate furniture and avoid working from bed. Surround yourself with articles to create an office environment, such as a whiteboard, books, and file racks, etc. to feel like the workplace.
Organize Your Desk
Keep things like a laptop, cell phones, pens, chargers, and all the necessary equipment handy. Use a noise cancellation headphone to keep the distraction at bay.
Master The Technology First
Get yourself equipped with the latest technology that can make your work from home smooth and convenient. WFH shall require video calls, conferences, online file sharing, web conferences, etc. So, learn about several software that can make your task easy or use online products available. You can take the help of your IT team for the same.
Keep The Distractions At Bay
Social media can be a great distraction element when you are working from home. It can kill your productivity especially when there is a lack of supervision and zeal to work. Therefore, to stay focused and maintain the work pace, mute all the social media notifications either on a laptop or phone. If possible, switch off your mobile data and keep other necessary things, like coffee flask or snacks handy so that you don’t leave your work desk too often.
Crack Your Productivity Code
If you are habituated of working within the four walls of your office, working from home can affect your productivity. It is, therefore, better to start slow and don’t try to be super-productive on the very first day. Schedule difficult tasks for morning and lighter ones for the evening and you can also go for the Pomodoro technique. The technique includes 25 minutes of work and 5 minutes break. You can use the break time to stroll in the open air or listen to some light music.
Maintain Social Distancing
Apart from social media distancing, it is also necessary to block the physical presence of people near your work desk. Family members, especially kids at home can make the task more challenging, therefore, agree on ground rules with them and keep the physical distraction at bay.
Schedule Your Day As Per The Workflow
Proper planning beforehand can save your day. Keep the most important work or project at the top of the priority list and plan for contingencies like unforeseen work calls or a new task in between the priority tasks. Stop switching tasks, and finish a task before jumping to the other. Multi-tasking or task switching is a major productivity killer.
Conclusion
Initially, the task of working from home can be challenging but with a few efforts, the drill can become smooth. Use the tips mentioned and ace in your work from home game.
