There was a time, not everybody stressed on figuring out when to work, where to work, and how to create boundaries between work life and personal life. But today, almost all of the world’s population is dealing with an unusual challenge: Working from home for the first time — FULL TIME! The office conferences have moved online, and hours of commuting have been replaced by endless hours of staring at the computer and the never-ending video calls.
We are now at a crucial crossroads in the fight against unprecedented times; as the virus has devitalized economies and shut down countries while we deal with the enormous healthcare challenges. Coronavirus can’t stop us! Say hello to the new normal — New workplace in the comfort of your home. While this might have sounded like a gratuity a while ago, the reality is quite challenging and TBH, not so amusing. Especially, for those who are still not used to the new setup, distractions can disrupt your productivity. After all, you’re in your personal space, not your usual professional environment. Laundry needs to be done, kids & pets grizzling for attention, spouses causing unusual distractions, the new series on Netflix on your mind that you’ve been craving to watch! On the other hand, you find yourself toiling overtime on the job long after you usually would have called it quits at the office.
For those used to working remotely, this is not new. But if you are still struggling to deal with getting hold of your productivity while working from home, here’s how we master it and you can too.
Getting Dressed
Getting dressed need not mean to dress as formally as you might for work, but the simple act of taking a shower, brushing your hair, and even indulging in slight makeup can go a long way. That’s what works well for me. I start my day with a warm cup of coffee as caffeine increases productivity. Changing clothes from pajamas serves as a signal that it’s time to wake up and get things done. It makes me feel human and confident and helps draw the line between being at work and being at home.
Maintaining Regular Hours
Working a swing shift has always been bad for me. That said, working from home sometimes means extending your day or starting early to adjust with someone else’s timings. When this tends to happen, I make sure to wind up earlier than usual or sleep in a bit the next morning. I have tried using TSheets — an automatic time-tracking app, that lets me check in on whether I’m sticking to my usual schedule.
Setting up a Dedicated Workstation
The right working environment doesn’t magically happen — you must take efforts to create it! Initially, it used to be fun to work in the same room as my partner’s; it certainly hampered my productivity. I slowly realized, we ended up nattering with each other or getting distracted due to each other’s calls. So I started isolating myself in another room which proved as the best practice to concentrate and get work done smoothly.
Structuring a Predefined Workflow
Since I’m my own manager at home, it is upon me to manage my productivity throughout the day. And for structuring my day, what else is better than having a clear pre-defined set of tasks? So, I started my day with creating a to-do list — mostly by fragmenting my tasks on priority basis and planning my time accordingly. Don’t forget to set some time aside for breaks and any unpredicted work tasks that might come your way.
Strategizing Weekly Goals with your Team
Me and my team members list down a set of goals every monday morning and set priorities to each to be completed. We would make sure all of us as a team are running at the same pace, towards the same goal each week. When you know where the finish line is, it’s easier to pace yourself or push to the end. If you’re running a race with no finish line in sight, you’re more likely to lose focus and talk yourself out of making steady progress.
Eliminating Physical Temptations
It sure is tempting to work in the living room, in full view of Money Heist’s upcoming episodes. But working from home can be made less difficult if your physical surroundings set you up for success. For example, I do not work within my eyesight of the fridge, I turn my phone screen side down to avoid checking Instagram and Facebook every 10 minutes, I also make sure that I physically move away from family members so I don’t feel tempted to spend quality time with them.
Eating Right & Healthy
I know people who munch all day and few others who miss eating at regular intervals. Both these habits can take a toll on our health. Keeping your nutrition in check can be tough when your home is your office. We know that we’re free to nibble all day as the fridge is all ours. But this can wreak havoc on our waistline, sabotage weight loss and halt our productivity. I try to keep a balanced diet, as nutritious food makes us more productive. It keeps me fuller longer and helps me focus better. Understanding that what you eat will impact your mood and energy levels. Think about this the next time you’re feeling hungry and just want to grab a handful of chocolates from the kitchen!
Staying in Touch
When your whole office starts working from home, you’re cutting off a lot of the casual social interactions you’re used to having throughout the day that help you feel less lonely. I combat this by talking with my coworkers or even buddies who are not colleagues through calls, texts or through Slack communities. These kinds of small talks can be a great way to keep your mind positive. When the world is freaking out, it’s more important than ever that we reach out, connect, and take care of one another.
Keep Your Attitude in Check
Above all, be creative and don’t let your confined circumstances dwarf your tranquility, happiness or productivity. Your greatest power is your perspective. It can victimize you or empower you. When you look for the upside in a downside situation and figure out what you can control and what you can’t, it’s easier to accept whatever is beyond your control. Your best ally is to find the opportunity in the difficulty during an uncontrollable situation instead of the difficulty in the opportunity.
Above all else, figure out what works best for you. After all, only you know yourself best! Working from home for the moment, is a privilege and not a right. So, let’s be intentional about how we work and show that we can be productive even when away from the office.
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Brandhero is a boutique solopreneur setup that lives by the principle of Design that Works and brings together storytelling, design, brand strategy and marketing to create unique brand and customer experiences.
