Tips for Working from Home effectively
Over the last few decades, more and more people have preferred to work remotely. And thanks to technological advancements, it’s now possible to accomplish various office tasks remotely rather than being in the office.
With the Coronavirus spreading in the past year, even people who never thought they would ever work from home are now doing it.
At first, we thought it’s just temporary, and we will be back to work as soon as possible. But it seems the pandemic may last for longer, and we have to find better ways to be productive while still at home.
My career allows me to work from home, and I have learned many dos and don’ts of working from home. Whether the pandemic pushed you to work from home, or you’re choosing a career that allows you to, below are some tips to help you be more productive.
It’s a Normal Work Day!
One of the dreams and selling points of freelancing is to wake up and go directly to your office desk in your pajamas. And when there are zoom meetings, you just wear an official top, but the pants are still pajamas. After all, the members are only going to see your portrait picture and not the whole body.
However, I realized that preparing like you’re going to work sets you in the “mode” for work. You know, shower, wear presentable clothes, apply makeup, and anything else you would do to make yourself more presentable. Doing this improves your confidence and makes you more productive.
Create your work office
If you have kids, you know how demanding they can be when you’re at home. When you want to work, and all they want to do is play and ask for stuff. To avoid this, create a separate, quiet working space.
And communicate with your family members the hours in which you’ll be working. If you have a large house, this can be a separate room. But if it’s an apartment, you can create a space on one of the corners and place a desk, the appropriate office chair, lighting, and everything else you need to work from home.
When creating an office, you also need to consider the tools you need. These could be laptops, webcams for video calls, keyboards, music players, and watches. I know having a clock on the wall is convenient, but I prefer a wrist smartwatch.
This is because you can do a lot with it. You can set timers, notifications, pick calls and check messages. A
And you can quickly check the time. A smartwatch is also versatile since you can use it when outdoors and can’t use your phone. There are several smartwatches for men and women for sale at very affordable prices too.
Have a Routine
Another reason you should have a separate space is to allow you to disengage from work. When you wake every morning and commute to work, your mind understands that it’s time to work. And when you commute back home, the mind understands it’s time to rest.
When working at home, after you’re done, put away all working materials and initiate a disengaging schedule. This could be spending some time with the family, watching a podcast or film, or making dinner.
Even though it’s tempting to extend the work hours when you’re at home, unwinding is important to make sure you’re productive the next day.
If you always worked out before or after work, do that even when you’re at home. Try to make it as normal as possible by maintaining all the usual routines. Or create new routines that fit the new lifestyle.
Avoid Distractions
I have to admit. This has been one of my biggest flaws. I’m busy working then a social media notification pops up. I am tempted to click it, and I waste up to 30 minutes. To avoid this, you can switch off social media and any other unnecessary notifications. Setting timers also helps. For instance, set a timer to work for at least 30 minutes, rest 5 minutes, and restart the timer.
Covid-19 news and speculations are still being spread online. Just check the updates but don’t focus too much on unnecessary or false information, especially if it’s not from a reputable site.
Exercise
You will be sitting at a desk for more than 8 hours, which can be very detrimental for your back, especially if you sit in the wrong posture. You can do Yoga, Zumba dancing, cardio, weight lifting, or jogging. I remember I gained more than 10 pounds within the first eight months of working from home. I started doing yoga and lifting weights, and they help me stay fit. And I don’t have to leave the house.
Besides, exercises improve your mood, give you more energy, and keep you aware of yourself at all times. Some of these exercises only take a few minutes. You can easily fit them into your schedule.
Socialize
Working from home alone can be quite depressing. But when you communicate with people, it gets easier. If it’s about work, continuously communicate with workmates and supervisors. If you’re away from your family, utilize Facetime, zoom, Google hangouts, and any other platform to video call them and let them know you’re okay. Avoid talking about negative stuff and only discuss positive issues.