6 Tips for Staying Productive When Working From Home
Working from home is a new change encountered during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many advantages can be obtained, one of which is time efficiency, because we don't need to go to the office and waste time on the trip.
However, working remotely can also be a boomerang that makes you less productive because you are far from office supervision and you don't know how to manage your time properly. This may be because the focus is divided or distracted with homework and other things.
In other words, not all remote workers have found the ideal way to plan a good and effective workday. This change in work often makes a person ineffective in completing their work.
This can be a challenge for those remote workers. Thus, how do you make work activities more productive while at home? Here are six tips for working from home to stay productive, not boring, and not stressful:
1. Have a morning routine
Morning routines are good tips so you can be productive when you have to run WFH. This is because morning activities can increase enthusiasm and concentration of mind while working, and make you feel as if you have to go to the office.
So, what if you didn't have a morning routine before? You can start by waking up early and exercising for 5 minutes while watching the news.
Try to do this activity for a week regularly. You get your enthusiasm for work back with a fit body and a fresh mind.
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2. Keep regular work hours
When you have to work from home, you become more flexible in managing your time, but don't abuse this advantage to get away from working hours regulations.
Maintain office hours rules so that it is easier for you to communicate with your superiors, co-workers, and colleagues. Not changing office hours can also make you finish work according to the allotted time. This can increase your work productivity.
In addition, you must be able to control and manage time as effectively as possible. It's hard to work without supervision, but it's important to remember that you have responsibility for yourself and complete the tasks assigned to you on time.
3. Designate a workspace
Having your workspace means you don't have to build a special room. You can use any room in the house where it is comfortable, has good light, is not noisy, and is far from distractions.
You can use an empty room filled with a simple desk and chairs and other supporting equipment for your work. So even at home, you can build your work atmosphere.
Also, make sure you avoid comfortable beds and sofas because these can reduce your work productivity.
4. Take breaks
Even though you work at home, it doesn't mean you underestimate the time to relax and rest. You still have to enter this into your work schedule just like you work in an office. That way, you can work effectively following the rules of your office hours schedule.
The difference is that you can creatively arrange your rest schedule, such as in the morning you exercise, take a morning shower, have breakfast, work, and rest time for worship, lunch, or naps.
You certainly can't feel the name of taking a nap at the office, but working remotely you can schedule it, and don't forget to set the alarm so you don't miss it.
5. Limit Distractions
One of the biggest challenges for remote workers is the distraction they have at home. Not only the people in the house who are sometimes noisy but also a comfortable bed and your cell phone.
Therefore, you need to manage this as best you can by limiting any distractions. For example, you can make schedules with your family, turn off your cell phone, and so on.
6. Don’t stop socializing
This last tip is effective for avoiding boredom and confusion at work. You can communicate with your coworkers via Whatsapp, Telegram, or whatever. Besides being able to establish close relationships, you also avoid boredom and can focus on work happily.
To keep work running smoothly, try to stay on standby in your office group. Have no answer when your coworkers need you.
In conditions of social distancing restrictions like this, interaction must continue as one of the keys to achieving a goal and also the human need to communicate with others. Thus, do not stop socializing.
Wrapping Up
The WFH method in its application brings its benefits, but sometimes it can be an obstacle because you feel bored or you feel a lot of distracted when working at home so a lot of your work is delayed and you don't finish it on time.
To avoid that, start practicing the six ways above so you can maintain productivity while working from home. Also, don't forget to maintain a healthy lifestyle while working from home, such as getting enough rest, drinking lots of water, consuming balanced nutritious food, and exercising regularly.
Author
Andre Oentoro is the founder of Breadnbeyond, an award-winning explainer video company. He helps businesses increase conversion rates, close more sales, and get positive ROI from explainer videos (in that order).
Twitter: @breadnbeyond
Email/Gravatar: andre@breadnbeyond.com
LinkedIn: Andre Oentoro