Evolve > Focus > Working From Home: Tips to Stay Productive
In these days of Coronavirus (COVID-19), all workplaces have established the work from home policy. For employees, that means less commute, more time at home but also a brand new environment.
Here, we offer some tips on how to master the challenge of working from home, staying motivated and staying productive during these tough times.
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7 Tips on how to stay productive when working from home?
Here are some vital tips that will help you perform your work and deal with all of your responsibilities with as much patience and sincerity as you did when you actually had to get ready and go to the office every day:-
1. Establish a proper workplace at home
When you work in an office, you have your desk, your area and it’s a space where you’re comfortable and in a way, it demands you to be dedicated and consistently productive. There’s no room for procrastination or lack of enthusiasm since you are always aware of the watchful eye of seniors and colleagues over you. At home, you may struggle to find the spot that’s yours in the initial stage. Once you do find it, stick to it and use it. Tell your family members that it’s your professional space, even if for the time being, and that they should not intrude. Maybe you could add a few personal touches to it like you would, in the office. Also, keep in mind that work desks in the office are ergonomically set up. It’s ideal in supporting your back and neck; you should ensure your home office space allows you to maintain a proper posture and is ergonomically efficient! This will keep your creative juices flowing and help you focus.
2. Structure and Schedule
Structuring your day and scheduling your work is required in order to be successful working from home. This way distractions won’t get a chance to interfere with your flow. Reserve a time for when you’d like to start work, take short coffee and lunch breaks, and keep some time even for a daily catch-up with that colleague of yours whom you have dared to call your friend. This will keep you refreshed and give you the stability of a plan. Ensure to incorporate other commitments in the routine as well. There are exceptional circumstances and you may need to take a break to buy vegetables or cook a meal. Find a routine that works best. Also, keep a defined finishing time, you must know when to call it a day so that you do not keep soiling and toiling the whole day.
3. Don’t give in to your cell phone
Distractions are by far the most difficult challenges to overcome when it comes to working from home. With the pandemic in full swing now, your phone is your biggest and most potent distraction. It has social media, news, and a whole lot more which has the power to arrest your attention in a jiffy and distract you. Limit phone access to a minimum during working hours and you’ll feel your focus surge. In case you’re distracted and/or feeling stressed and anxious, make your screen time productive with Evolve. You can balance your mind & body within minutes, with our variety of content that makes meditation light and refreshing. Visit the Evolve App to find out more about such refreshing journeys.
4. Take proper breaks
A simple way to stay productive is to take full breaks. Need 30 minutes for lunch? Take it rather than hesitate. Need a break after a long call? Refresh your mind and balance yourself. If you’re taking a break of 30 minutes for coffee or brunch, and finish it in 15 minutes, don’t go back to work immediately. Take the complete break. Spend some time with family or call your friend. As a result, you’ll feel refreshed and rejuvenated and enjoy your work more. You can even give mindful eating a try to clear your head and regain focus.
5. Stay on your feet
Keep moving every now and then rather than getting stuck in one place. The activity is important. If you’re on a work call, use it as an opportunity to walk around and enjoy some extra blood circulation. It’s a small but simple way of feeling relaxed and getting that little extra out of yourself.
6. Communicate with care
Virtual communication has its barriers and limitations. There are fewer non-verbal cues, there are often technology disruptions or interruptions during important calls. But here’s how you can overcome these barriers:
- Clarify anything and everything with your coworkers and manager, to be on the same page.
- Set clear agendas for any calls and virtual meetings.
- Show your appreciation and gratitude towards your colleagues more often.
- Being very accommodative in case any of your colleagues are facing an issue.
As a result, communications issues are at a minimum, keeping your productivity flowing!
7. Avoid all sorts of distractions:
There are two types of distractions, internal and external. Understanding their cause and effect will help you get into a state of flow.
Whenever you are in a state of flow, you work effectively. Your consciousness is focused on the task at hand, and you don’t easily realize how time slips by. Creating a state of flow is essential to induce a fulfilling experience while working but it’s difficult to achieve flow with a lot of distractions around you.
What is remote work?
Remote work, also know as telecommuting, distance working or working from home, is a style of work that allows professionals to work outside the traditional office space. This system of work is based on the concept that work can be done anywhere and the conventional setup of office it is not necessary to fulfill goals and work successfully. However, new studies have argued that remote work is limiting the scope of developing valuable relationships at work and might also prove to be not so yielding in the long run as far as careers of employees are concerned.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed or stressed due to working from home, remember to speak to a loved one or your manager to help ease the pressure and stay calm. It’s an uncertain time for everyone and you should do whatever you can to have a semblance of normalcy and balance at home.
Take a look at our checklist on focus to assess how well you’re doing and how you can improve focus when working from home!
Try out Evolve’s guided audio on how to focus when working home, and more which will help you achieve more with better focus! The Evolve app is now live globally on Android & Apple to try for free!
Damayanti Dubey is a final year English major at Loreto College, Kolkata. She is a writer by passion and loves to indulge in languages, especially English, Bengali, and Urdu. She aims at exploring all of their intricacies and nuances. Damayanti is a disciple of Padma Bhushan Pandit Ajoy Chakraborty and is a national scholar of Indian classical music. She has always believed that a sound mind, free from the clutches of regressive and negative thoughts is the key to living a healthy life and makes efforts to promote mental wellness through the power of her words.
Damayanti believes in thinking beyond boundaries.
