6 ways to remain productive while working from home

First time working from home? Follow these tips to remain productive:

We, as humans, for the first time are facing this sad but historic moment, the world has come to a standstill. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced almost entire India to work from home – something many have never done before. According to Professor Nicholas Bloom, there is a new silver lining in this crisis, there will be an increase in work from home even after the crisis. However, the onus is on employees, it’s up to them to show that they are equally productive or more productive when working from home. For the beginners who have never worked from home, they might feel overwhelmed without supervision and direct guidance. But with discipline and using communication technologies, anyone can become productive.

Discipline

Accept it, working from home without a dedicated workstation is difficult. At home, there are end number of distractions, but it can be overcome if you have great work ethics combined with self- discipline. Start your day by noting down the to-do-list for work as well as leisure time. Communicate with your family members about your work routine and have a dedicated workplace. Once you have created your personal work schedule, stick to them.

Invest in Internet and Communication Technologies

Working from home means you are isolated from the rest of the world. You can’t knock on the door of your colleague’s cabin or access physical files like you did when in the office. However, the internet makes it possible to remain in touch with your co-workers through various communication channels. The first thing you will need is a reliable internet connection, second will be a phone, and thirdly, associated technologies such as Zoom or Skype.

Dedicated Work Space

Probably, this should be the first thing you should do – create a dedicated space strictly for work. Because it will be easier for you to focus on work, avoid distractions, and uninterrupted office calls with your colleagues. You don’t need to spend a lot to create a workplace at your home. It can be a simple desk somewhere in the corner of a room, it can be an office in a separate room.

Track your Progress

Staying busy doesn’t mean productivity. Chit chat and house cores, for instance, may take up a lot of your work time. You might want to spend time with your loved ones and there is nothing wrong with it, but if you don’t complete your to-do-list at the end of the day, you may feel unsatisfied. That’s why it is necessary to remain committed to your work schedule. Track your work progress after lunchtime, and tick down the works completed and leave the remaining work for the next day or post-lunch work.

Communicate with your colleagues

Regular communication is essential when coordinating tasks remotely. You will need to update each other more than what you would on a normal day to everything run smoothly. Messaging apps like Telegram or WhatsApp comes handy in appraising your work progress among your teammates. You can also use group calling through various applications to communicate and brainstorm your projects.

Exercise

Working at home means you are less physically active since you are indoors. The effects of this kind of lifestyle will become visible in just a few weeks. For instance, you’re likely to develop knee stiffness and back pain due to sitting in the same position for long hours. If the chair you’re using is not comfortable, you may also develop neck pain. Creating an exercise routine will help you curb these negative effects of self-quarantine and working from home.

In a nutshell, working from home may not be the most convenient way to get things done, but it is necessary at the moment, so you will have to make the best out of it.