10 tips to help you work better at home!

February 26, 2020
Emotional Wellness, Physical Activity, Body Care & Nutrition

Working from Home sounds like a luxury – the flexible hours, not having to put up with a commute (which means getting extra sleep!), and being able to work without anyone in the office bothering you. But is it really that great? With some of us being mandated to work from home, some of us are struggling with the sudden change. Here are some tips on how you can work from home better!

  1. Maintain Regular Hours 

    Plan your day or week, always set a schedule and stick to it as best as you can. Drawing work boundaries for yourself is truly important, because it means you know exactly when to call it a day.

  1. Be Task Oriented 

    Make a to-do list for the task you need to complete for the day and organize these tasks into Urgent, Important, Not Urgent and Not Important. It will most certainly help you to know what to do first. Also, always do put out a few buffers for last minute requests. If you manage to clear off those tasks early, give yourself a pat on the back and take some extra time to relax!

  1. Set Ground Rules with the People in Your Space 

    Set ground rules with other people in your home or who share your space for when you work. If you have a partner or at at home while you’re still working, they need clear rules about what they can and cannot do during that time.

  1. Schedule Proper Breaks to avoid overstraining yourself 

    Breaks are important for both your physical and mental health. Working from home usually means short-changing yourself during break time (especially lunch) but it is very important to take the full hour just to pull away from work, even just for a little bit. Your body will thank you at the end of the day!

  1. Step out of the house! 

    Being stuck at a desk all day isn’t good for you. Your body needs to move, plus, fresh air and natural light will do you good. Always try to leave your home regularly to avoid feeling cooped up. Talk a walk. Run some errands, head out for your favorite cuppa and bring your laptop with you, etc. The same advice applies to people who work in traditional office settings too! So do try to leave the building at least once a day.

  1. Keep a Dedicated ‘workspace’ at home 

    To help you better ease into “Work Mode”, dedicate a desk and some peripherals only for work use. If you’ve been assigned with a company laptop, better still! This way you can avoid mixing up your personal and work stuff on the same computer.

  1. Stay Connected with your colleagues 

    For some of you working from home, you may miss the company of your colleagues at work, but given the wonders of modern technology, it may not be so hard to do after all! WhatsApp Chat groups are commonly formed among employees, and if need be, you can start a separate group for all the NSFW stuff!

  1. Regularly update those working with you 

    Working remotely may bring out some trust issues. Regular updates on what you are working on as well as your schedule and availability are necessary.  When you finish a project or important task, say so. This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to write a detailed work log to explain your every move, but such updates will definitely be appreciated by your bosses.

  1. Take Advantage of Working from Home 

    Working from home unlocks all sorts of possibilities, you can finally take the time to Bake that Chocolate Cake you’ve been meaning to, or explore your neighborhood a little more and try that new coffee place on the corner. Perhaps you can finally make that home cooked dinner for your family you’ve been meaning to! Whatever it is, be sure to know the importance of time and how you can use this new found flexibility to your advantage.

  1. Don’t Be Too Hard on Yourself 

    It takes a huge amount of discipline to work from home. It requires some serious focus, and there’s so many distractions and temptations that can pull you away from work. That said, everyone lets their attention drift sometimes. If you find yourself working one minute and checking on your friends’ facebook feeds the next, don’t beat yourself up. Instead, ask yourself whether any regular human being in an office setting do the same thing. If the answer is yes, cut yourself some slack, then get back to work.