We are all working from home more than ever right now due to the quarantine. So, if it is your first time to work from home or if you are used to it, in both cases this article is a nice reminder to be productive even if you are a stay-at-home employee. Currently, we are bringing our offices to our homes & sharing it with our families & pets. Below are some tips that I apply from vloggers like: Alisha Marie, Best Dressed, and Mariana.
So, first you need to keep a strict routine. As we don't have colleagues any more to keep track of our day. So, there is no transportation or physical boundaries to keep track of your schedule. So, you need to shape your day & follow a routine to keep a balance between your work & life even if both are in the same place for the time-being.
Have a good night sleep for at least eight hours, this will help you be active & productive during the day. So, working from home is not a paid vacation. You have to focus & work even if the workload is a bit slower.
Tweak your morning ritual. Given that there is no more commuting, we have extra time for extra things to do before the working hours. You can sleep for extra hour or two, you can choose to cook your lunch/dinner, you might choose to workout during this time, or you might choose to read a book while having your morning tea/coffee. It is your choice to start your day as you wish to.
Try to choose a working area that is different than your bedroom or living-room. As well, spend couple or hours cleaning & organizing your space accordingly to keep your productivity levels as high as possible.
Start your working day at the same time & end it at the same time, as well arrange your breaks as usual to keep your working routine the same. Try to keep it as much as possible the same as you were at the office.
Don't wear in your Pajamas, change your clothes to a comfortable yet nice clothes to help you set the atmosphere that you are currently working not in leisure time anymore.
Make sure to set boundaries, especially if you are sharing the working-from-home attitude with other family members. Who is working where & what will happen if you are going to have overlapping calls are two of the most important questions to answer.
Drink plenty of water during the day, keep a water bottle handy on your desk & keep yourself hydrated drinking plenty of water & herbal teas to keep yourself healthy & energetic.
Stay connected with your colleagues or managers online, we have plenty of tools to be used for this situation. So, you can chat through Slack or you can have a video conference through Zoom or Webex to keep the flavor & connection of working together - even if virtually.
Put on some music/songs to overcome the awkward silence of not having your colleagues around any more. However, keep it low to overcome having this as a barrier to focusing on the task on hand & being productive.
Try to limit your screen-time or your time scrolling through the news & social media. Yes, I know it is hard, however again this is not a paid vacation. So, try to keep your phone away & only check it during the breaks to stay focused on getting things done instead of keep checking your Instagram or Facebook.
As well, try to stop opening your personal stuff during work, even if it hard. I personally keep my personal websites open on "Safari" & all work-related stuff on "Firefox". So, you can keep the distance between both & catch yourself when you find yourself doing something else other than work during the working time.
Keep a to-do list, so write down everything that you should do during the day or the week. So, you can clear your mind from the burden of remembering everything. Keep it online (over the phone/laptop) or keep it offline with a nice notebook or to-do list to check it when you are done & feel accomplished.
Keep your desk clean & with necessities only. So, for example my desk only includes the laptop, chargers, airpods, smart watch, to-do list, notebook, water bottle, and hot drink. Trying to keep my mobile away as much as possible.
Stay safe .. Stay home .. Stay productive!