“Work from home” is a blessing or golden opportunity to many. There are several reasons one opts to work from home it could be self-quarantining, office renovation or maybe you are staying at home parent, of course, and preferences can vary based on the nature of work or requirements by the employer.

COVID-19 has changed the dynamics greatly. Considering the factor of “Social distancing” working remotely was the only solution to keep the work going for many organizations.

Working from home is not as easy as it appears. It can be a blessing, at the same time it also comes with challenges. It requires a lot of dedication and energy to be fairly productive. Remote working is the future as companies who adopted the practice found some great reductions in the cost. Let’s not lose hope here! And be determined about productive at work while working from home.

But being an employee, one should ensure their energy, productivity remains at the same level regardless it’s the office desk or virtual office at home. There are ways you can ensure you are happy, productive and healthy while you manage your duties from home.

1)       Follow Office Hours:

Stick to your regular working hours. Working from home may make you feel lazy initially but it’s better to work as per your schedule. This way you will be able to coordinate better with other team members and balance chores at work too.

2)       Set-up morning regime:

Its human nature to follow a certain routine to function better. It allows us mentally and physically to prepare for things. A morning walk, a cup of coffee or exercise can greatly help you get prepared for work from home. Do 30 minutes exercise daily preferably in the morning.

3)      Approved and scheduled mini-breaks:

Breaks are incredibly important and act as a refresher for the mind. Study your company policy about the break schedule. Don’t confine yourself to the screen and take fair advantage of flexibility work from home offers. Take 10 to 20 minutes break when necessary and recharge yourself. 

4)       Be firm about your Rules:

Set limits and rules for yourself and people around you so you don’t have to juggle with tasks of different nature at the same time. Divide responsibilities and plan your activities ahead of time so you don’t lose your focus. Remember! You cannot be productive with attention divided into multiple dimensions.

5)       Make communication easier and prompt:

Ensure that teams have multiple means of communication to avoid any disruptions in the tasks and issues with timelines.

6)       Say no to Lazy PJs:

Dress like you are going to office staying in PJs will make you feel little lazy. Dressing up for office will surely turn on the working mode in you.

7)       Track productivity:

There are many ways to see where you stand on the tasks assigned to you. You can use Trello, Work zone, Focus Booster and many other applications to measure your productivity and plan ahead accordingly.

8)       Avail lunch break to its fullest:

Do not take your lunch break for granted while working from home. They are the refreshers which are considered necessary, so do not short-change it. Utilize your lunch hours to relax.

9)       Be proactive:

Ask for the details wherever you get stuck, don’t feel shy about getting details for better understanding. The more you are attentive towards the details, the result will be more accurate.

10)    Be-friends with Co-workers:

Apart from companies offering remote working in the midst of Corona-virus breakout, companies that have remote setup already offer their staff to socialize on different platforms to identify common interests and develop understanding. Social disconnect and isolation are major challenges while you work full time from home. Talk! And nurture relationships.

11)    Video meetings:

Nothing works better than structured video meetings when it comes to collaboration.Video meetings ensure the full and active participation of every individual. This way one feels respected and their input are valued. Pointless video calls turn workers into zoombies, be selective about who you invite, when you’ve got a collection of 50 postage-stamp-sized faces on the screen, it’s impossible to feel connected.

12)    Virtual Team Events:

In the time when everyone is upset and uncertain about what the pandemic will bring. Hold virtual events or assign fulfilled activities to lighten the mood and improve bonding. Trivia, cards online gaming or quizzes can be great fun for all.

13)   Take sick leave when needed:

Don’t force yourself to work if you are unwell. Take a leave and recover yourself fully to return to work with zeal.

14)    Enhance skill-set:

Learn and get yourself trained for new skills from the bundle of talent around in one way or the other. Similarly, share the knowledge when you learn something new to benefit others.

15)    Dedicated Work Space:

Look and feel plays a vital role in making up one’s mind. Keep a dedicated space to work. Maintain it and keep it updated.

16)    Practice good etiquette and treat each other like humans:

People’s stress levels are actually higher when they work remotely. It’s stressful and lonely. Employees think our boss doesn’t trust us and our team doesn’t like us. One to more video calling not recommended, do it only when much needed. Try one to one video calling. Like any technology, video calling is neutral. It’s about how you use it. Don’t drone on, waste time, or speak for the sake of it.

And employers & bosses will have to normalize more video calling, don’t enforce it, use it when needed only. Trust your staff. Give option.

17)    Take Care of your Mind:

During this lock down we understand that you and your family members are undergoing a lot of stress and anxiety. If you have to stay at home because of Corona Virus, it’s important to take care of your mind as well as your body. Keep on top of your mental well-being and cope with how you may feel while staying at home.

If you need help get coached with us, a free 30 minutes and paid coaching online session. Contact us