For those who are working from home and have gone through many articles on work-from-home experience, I have something new to share.
Only read if you feel that you do not like working from home just because you are not as productive as you were in the office you have any other reasons. In this article, I would explain what it takes to work so that you are productive, and creative, and consider this as a permanent option for yourself.
Working from home is no different than working from the office in terms of productivity. The only thing which is different in the office is the informal chit-chat with your colleagues over the small smoke or lunch breaks. Those social catch-ups are not that productive, so we can skip them anyway. Another thing which you miss is the daily commute to the office. This might be surprising for some, but I talked to a couple of my colleagues and they truly miss the 2 hours of the commute during which they use to listen to their favorite music or used to have “me” time.
You also save time for getting dressed for the office and “undo” when you are back at home.
The following are the few tips that I want to share with you to have a better work-from-home experience as for some, that might be their new office.
- Set an office space at home or else you will just hate working from home.
- Consider the internet, your desk, and an ergonomic chair not optional, but a necessity. Spend money if you have to ensure you have the right set of tools to work.
- Set office timings and avoid working after office hours. Ensure to use the “saved” time from commuting for something productive. See for your shortcomings or anything which you want to improve on, and spend the time there to bridge the gap.
- Start a hobby, any hobby which will keep you busy for at least 30 mins in the day. You may start some projects at home like fixing things or doing some creative things with your kids.
- Exercise is a must to do when working from home. If you have been keeping the count of steps during the regular office, you will notice that you are not that active anymore. Just make sure that you are keeping the same count when working from home.
Time and again we get into situations that we never came across before. COVID-19 is no different. The people and companies which have or will survive this pandemic will be those who know how to change, and quickly adopt it. Work from home may be a new reality for most of us. And sooner we adapt to its habits, the better we survive the situation.