The world is living in a pandemic caused by a new coronavirus known as COVID-19. The disease causes a respiratory illness with symptoms ranging from cold, cough, fever, and breathing issues when it becomes severe.
As there is no vaccine or treatment currently available, the best way to contain this disease is to social distancing and washing your hands properly. Keeping this in mind, almost every country has gone into lockdown mode. From businesses to schools, to theaters, to malls, and so on barring the essential services are in lockdown.
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This means that 70% of the population is working from home. The IT sector is on complete lockdown, even chat shows hosts are working from home, and many are losing their jobs. If you are one of the lucky ones to still hold onto your job by working from home, be thankful.
Yes, it is hard to work from home, especially if you have kids. But it is safer for you and for other people. With schedules and organization, working from home can be easy and effective.
In this article, we will talk about some effective tips that can help you work from home during the times of coronavirus.
Tips to manage your work from home
1. Have a schedule
When working from home, it is important to have a schedule. If you think that working from home means you can work at any hour, then you are wrong. So, maintain regular hours.
Get work, do your morning chores, if you have kids, make them a schedule too.
When you have regular working hours just like when you were in office, it is easier to get in the mindset of working.
If both the parents are working from home and have kids, you should give them tasks and take turns looking after them. You can create a virtual planner for your kids and you using Canva. It has an option to create a weekly planner that can make WFH easy.
When it comes to working from home in these times, setting up rules is important. Your family or partner or kids or pets will want your attention as you are home. But you have to set rules, you need to tell them that they cannot disturb or enter the office space at certain times.
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Yes, you should take occasional breaks and help out with kids or in domestic work. But you have to be vocal about when you can help out and when you cannot. If you don’t, your productivity will certainly suffer.
3. Take breaks
Working remotely doesn’t mean that you cannot or shouldn’t take breaks. You must take breaks because it helps you re-energize and be more productive. So, other than your lunch break, you should take 10-20 minutes to do a quick yoga session.
You can even listen to some podcasts or get in a quick cuddle from your kids or pets. Also, take five minutes to Facetime your friends and family, it will help build morale.
Once you come back from your quick break, your productivity will increase.
4. Limit distractions
When you are working from home, and you know that your couch or TV is just a few feet apart, it can distract you. So, try to limit your distractions. Don’t switch on the TV when you know you have to get back to work in 10 minutes.
It goes for mobile phones. Only use it for important calls related to work or of socializing, keep it limited. Other than that, don’t distract yourself by scrolling through memes on the internet. Also, stay informed about COVID-19, but don’t scroll the news too much that you are too anxious to work.
5. Dress up
It seems like a small tip, but it can certainly get you into the mindset of working. So, dress up like you are going to the office. If you work in your sweats, it will hinder your productivity. Thus, get up and dress up as you do for your office. You don’t have to be too formal, but looking professional, especially if you have video conferences can boost productivity and morale.
6. Designate a place as your office
You don’t need a separate room to create an office. A simple corner in one of the rooms where you can work peacefully and organize your work is great.
But having a designated office is important as it can keep your work and home life separate. If you don’t do this, both can take a hit.
Since everyone is working from home, and we cannot go out, socializing takes a back seat. But we need to keep the communication channels open. So, socialize with your work colleagues, only if it is to ask for plans on how to work better remotely.
8. Organization is important
We talked about having a workspace even if it is a corner, right? Now, get that space organized so that you don’t have to get up now and then to bring things. For instance, have your laptop, charger, one phone charger, dairy, pen, and mouse and other things set up there.
It will be easier to work like that. Moreover, use noise-canceling headphones if you don’t live alone. It will help with productivity. Again, make a schedule to look after the children if you and your spouse both are WFH.
9. Technological help
You might not be able to use the apps or tools for video conferencing or so on. Thus, make use of other tools that are free and can help make work from home easy. Use Skype or Google hangout for video calls.
Use Canva to create a planner that can remind you about day to day meetings. Also, if you face any problem, take help from your management team.
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10. Create a routine just like office
Wake up, freshen up, have breakfast, get into fresh clothes, work, take a break, and at the end of the bag your laptop. Repeat this routine every day for better productivity.
It is trying time for all humanity, but if we do our bit, we will come out of this. So, work from home effectively using these tips, and stay safe.
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