Remote work is the new norm. With companies needing to adjust to a work-from-home setting and home-based businesses thriving online, the future of office work will inevitably be in the comfort of our homes. While there is indeed “comfort,” there is still the challenge of productivity when work and personal life clash under one roof.
However, work life at home can be fruitful when we figure out which habits to change and what work disciplines to establish. Here are several productivity tips and tricks to aid your remote work life: 1. Create a fixed work schedule. Work hours from home should not differ from work hours in the office. Regardless of your shift, establish a feasible work schedule, complete with a time-in and time-out log. Start the day with an energy-boosting routine. Handle work tasks by dividing them into chunks. And when finishing the day, ensure work communication does not overlap with your resting hours. As a reminder, announce your work schedule to people around you, so they know when to approach you with errands or trivial matters. 2. Set breaks between your tasks. Monitoring your work hours also means setting breaks in between. Assign a time for one hour-long break (lunch or dinner), as well as two short breaks. Speaking of which, short breaks should not only consist of literally stopping what you’re doing. Take several minutes to stretch, breathe freely, or rest your eyes away from the monitor, too. 3. Designate an office space at home. Most households contain the essentials for an ideal workspace: a computer or laptop, desk, and chair. But it is also important to dedicate which spaces and equipment are for work or personal use. Assign an area at home where you can concentrate on work. For your desk, make sure it stays neutral without traces of decorations or personal distractions. And as much as possible, never work in your bed or any space where you usually sleep, relax, or do your hobbies. 1. Establish ground rules and boundaries for your office space. Remote work may be relaxing when you’re within the four walls of your home, but it does not mean that any sense of professionalism should be overlooked. To initiate that, set your boundaries between work and home. Set ground rules for your family (i.e., lessen noise, no horse-playing) and avoid repeatedly going in and out of your office space. 2. List daily priorities. Every day, we have a varied set of errands to accomplish at work and home. With both worlds now under one roof, it is crucial to keep track of our priorities for the day. Set a to-do list and arrange them according to their level of importance. If you have deadlines, place them as your top priority, though, you may also list tasks from how light or heavy they are. 3. Use task management tools. Productivity tools for remote working have been sprouting everywhere. With choices like Asana, Evernote, TeamViewer, Trello, and others, they have been handy in enumerating work tasks and monitoring their progress. Even as your company delegates work tasks on these online channels, stick to one manageable app to avoid clutter. Additionally, install antivirus software or VPNs for robust online security. 4. Stay in contact with colleagues. One apparent drawback of remote work is the lack of in-person interaction with your coworkers. Whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, there’s no denying that communication is vital in establishing rapport with colleagues and cooperating in accomplishing tasks. Take advantage of several professional messaging apps like Slack, Chatwork, and Skype. Find time to check-in with coworkers through video chat channels like Facetime and Zoom. Engage in virtual activities that your company might have. 5. Avoid social media distractions. Using social media is tricky since companies also use them for running business operations and communications. Thus, you should be mindful about whether your social media activity is counterproductive. Turn off app notifications in your phone or put it on Silent Mode. Close unnecessary tabs in your browser. Discipline yourself from mindless browsing and unproductive chats to stay focused. 6. Maintain workspace cleanliness. A productive workspace starts with an orderly workspace. However, being the primary user of the home workstation, you are also responsible in keeping your working environment clean and organized. Tidy up every living and working space at home regularly. Consolidate work-related paraphernalia and separate them from your home belongings. Organize work files to avoid desktop clutter. 7. Check your well-being. Lastly, in an age of health distresses, remote workers need to monitor their holistic well-being. We tend to overwhelm ourselves with our work and home lives that our personal health and fitness are left unchecked. Spend time doing exercises or warm-ups. Allot 8 hours of sleep for a steady body clock. Practice a healthy, balanced diet. Have time just to rest solely. Other Helpful Tips To give the illusion of office work, suit up as if you are in the office. If you need full concentration, play some motivational music with an adequate pair of earphones. Attitude-wise, always consider remote work as a personal and professional advantage. Set an optimistic position that can help you achieve work-life balance.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |