Today the number of remote workers is greater than ever before and due to recent circumstances such as COVID-19, more employees are turning to virtual jobs. While many workers like the idea of working from home, it’s normal for people to feel detached and alienated from their colleagues.
Have a morning routine
Having a morning routine sets the tone for the entire day. Finish all your morning rituals before sitting down for work. Getting done with the basics in the morning will keep you a sense of accomplishment and you will keep going throughout the day. Also, since now you have finished the small tasks like making the bed, having the morning tea or breakfast already, you will have fewer distractions while working. Try including yoga or meditation for better concentration.
Set a schedule for the day
Plan your day. Make sure you create a schedule of the things you want to do before you go to sleep. Allot a limited amount of time to a specific task and make sure you complete them on time. Scheduling in advance helps you in keeping your head clear and you can focus on one work at a time. Make sure to mix and match the tasks. Keep all the small or similar tasks together.
Your power hour
When you decide to work at a particular time make sure that it is the time when you are the most productive. Identify what works the best for you. Your power hour. This can result in higher productivity and concentration. You can get more work done in your power hours compared to sitting for an entire day. Make sure you sit down to work at the same time every day, this helps trick your brain into thinking that this is the office hour.
Take breaks
In an office, we are always surrounded by our colleagues and teammates. When we are around people, working seems easier and enjoyable. Offices also have lunchtime or small breaks but that is not the case when it comes to working from home. You are all by yourself hence, you are the only in charge of your break time. It is really important to take breaks. Working constantly inside the house with no teammates around can be exhausting and will drain you quickly. Allocate a few hours for work and take a short break. Fix a lunch break. A break will help you to renew your energy and will lead to better efficiency at work.
Have a dedicated office space
When working from home, it is very easy to sit on the bed all day with your laptop and keep working. But this can hamper your productivity. If you eat, sleep and work at the same place then it can make you lazy. If you have a dedicated space for working in your house, your mind will automatically start thinking about work. Keep your areas of work separated.
Keep in touch with your colleagues
Stay in touch with your teammates. Call them, discuss work with them. This will keep you connected to the office. Keep your boss updated about the things you’ll be working on. Keep a check on your office mates and ask them to keep you accountable. Even when you are working from home, keeping in touch with your colleagues will keep you in a mindset that will help you to be more productive.
Working from home can be difficult. It is very easy to get lazy and this ends up affecting productivity at work. For more efficiency, it is important to take care of certain factors and work in a planned manner. With added perks of working from home, it indeed has become the new normal.
Anjali is studying journalism at the University of Delhi. She has had some experience in writing blogs, news posts, interviewing professionals for feature write-ups etc., and aspires to host a TV show someday soon.