The coronavirus virus pandemic has brought everything into a standstill, mainly working in offices. More so, most companies have sent their staff to work from home to reduce overcrowding.
With the cases of coronavirus rising, working from home has turned out to be the new normal. However, it is not as easy as it sounds. It’s more of sitting on your bed on your pajamas with your laptop and still working at any time you want.
First, you have to adjust your mind amidst this new challenge to enhance productivity. With no diligence and without a stipulated work plan, you are bound to fail.
You can, however, follow these tips to help you become productive at work during this pandemic.
1. Create a Conducive Home Office Workspace
Having a secluded home office workspace is essential. Working on your bed or your favorite couch will result to more distraction than concentration. Also, the more comfortable you are, the less productive you will be as you work from home.
Thus, it would be best if you secluded a place in your living room to act as your office. Get comfortable furniture for your office space. By following the above, you will develop that office mindset as you work at home.
2. Dress Well and Wake Up Early
Working from home does not mean you are on vacation. Furthermore, nothing has changed. Follow the same routine that you had before the pandemic. If you woke up at 6.am, do the same. Do not roll up on your nightdress and start working instantly.
Wearing casuals won’t help in any way. Thus for you to be productive as you work from home, freshen up and wear your usual office wears.
3. Avoid Distraction As You Work From Home
Working from your home comes with its downsides. For example, you are bound to come across multiple distractions. Your productivity depends on your handling of these distractions. So, which are these distractions you ought to evade?
a. Social Media
Social media is a key distractor as you work from home.
Since no one is supervising you, it easy to check on your Facebook page now and then. However, Social media will ultimately eat up your time and make you less productive.
b. Television
Though televisions are good; watching your favorite program as you work is not good. You are more likely to get distracted as you work.
c. Children
If you don’t set your boundaries, children can distract you as you work from home. In most cases, this happens to parents. Make your children know that you are working, and you need fewer interruptions.
4. Have Breaks in Your Work
Having breaks as you work from home is essential. The breaks are more of the same to the breaks you get at your office place. After the break, you will come back re-energized, and you will less be bored. Also, the breaks will freshen up your brain and muscles. In the first place, working from home should be enjoyable.
5. Make Exercises Your Friend
As from the adage, work without play makes Jack a dull boy. With long sitting hours, your muscles require exercises.
Besides, sitting for long hours comes along with other health issues. For example, you risk being obese as well as having sore muscles.
So, exercising will come hand in hand as you work from home. Some of the simple exercises that you can practice include swimming, jogging, and yoga.
6. Start Using Helpful Tools
Amidst this pandemic, there is a silver lining, growth of technology. Hence, as you work from home, embrace technology use.
In particular, the tools will help you communicate with your colleagues, Send emails, store documents, and have virtual meetings.
So, which are these valuable tools?
a. Zoom
On top of the list is zoom. A standout and variable device. Over the last six months, zoom is one of the popular tools. Zoom will help you have one to one virtual meetings with colleagues. With quality sound and pictures, zoom will bring in that office like feel.
b. Slack
An online messaging platform that is slowly replacing emails. With slack, you can have private messages with your colleague as well as share files.
C. Google Docs
Many of you are familiar with this tool. Google docs help you save your documents in the cloud. Furthermore, you can share any document with your office workmates as well as edit them using Google doc.
In summary, these tools will help you share information with your co-workers.
Wrap up
As earlier stated, the pandemic has brought everything into a standstill. However, this should not deter you from working efficiently at your home. With the pandemic or not, office work has to run smoothly.
Hence to become productive as you work from home, follow the above-outlined tips.