The pandemic has changed the face of what “normal” used to be for everyone around the globe. Before last year, a significant majority of people worked from 9-to-5 in their high-rise offices and enjoyed a corporate social life and the challenges it brought. They hung out with their friends and family on the weekends, went out for movies, took a lively walk in the park, and lived life to its full potential. However, when COVID-19 rolled in, it locked everyone inside their residences and forced them to continue their day-to-day routines virtually. People started working remotely to continue making a livelihood and to withstand the turbulent economy.
Working from home in an air filled with paranoia, stress, and depression can test anyone’s sanity. Though the worst is over, many companies have adopted the remote working trend. People are still sitting at home typing away on their laptops and taking videoconferences. The internet has played a vital part in this “new normal,” allowing employees to complete their corporate tasks off-site. ISPs have also dialed down the prices of this essential service to facilitate the remote workforce. Take a look at the ridiculously affordable RCN internet prices and you’ll get a sense of what we’re talking about.
Surrounded by perpetual anxiety and frequent family interruptions, how can you maintain your sanity and productivity while working from home? Here are a few tips to help you in this regard.
Create a Distinct Workspace
When you’re working from home, your professional space may overlap with your personal one. The lighting, the sounds, the distractions, and the homely vibe are more than enough to get your attention off the task at hand and direct it elsewhere. So, create a separate workspace at home and establish clear boundaries. It could be the room under the stairs or a separate home office if you’re fancy. Set up a desk, a not-too-comfortable chair, office supplies, and an LED light source. The atmosphere of the workspace will put you in a state of mind to work, and you won’t be tormented by the insane overlapping.
Define a Working Schedule
Time management is crucial when you’re working from home. This is where a proper schedule proves to be a sheer blessing. We’ve seen people crunching numbers well into the night or evading work altogether. Both over-working and under-working are signs of poor time utilization. Remember, boundaries are good. So, define your hours in a day for your tasks. Come up with a calendar and hone your focus around it. Contingencies are only natural, so proactively manage them during your work shift. If you can do a five-hour task in two, then great! You can work in advance or take an early leave. The point is to control your working hours and stick to the schedule.
Start Your Day Right
Beginnings are important. They carve your attitude towards the journey ahead. If you wake up late, stay disheveled, remain in your pajamas, overindulge your breakfast, and sleepily tend to your tasks, sooner or later, you’ll fall into procrastination and despair, which are the exact opposites of productivity and progress. So, start your day right. Set an alarm and try to wake up early. Go for a quick morning workout and eat a healthy breakfast. Get dressed for work and read an interesting article before you begin your work, and you’ll feel the difference in your attitude, health, and sanity.
Try the Rule of Three
There is so much to do when you’re working remotely. You can easily find yourself feeling overwhelmed, which can dishearten you and dissuade you from completing your projects. What should you do, then? Organize. Bring some order into the chaos. Categorize your tasks into three columns. The first column should list all the possible work assignments. The second column should list all the things you would like to do or can easily manage in your shift. Finally, the third column should list the core projects that you absolutely have to do if you wish to keep your job. Then, start with the third list and work your way up. This will give you a sense of order and accomplishment, which we all need at the end of the day.
Invest in Sound-Cancellation Gear
Suppose you’re on a deadline and making a critical presentation that your supervisor will be sending to international clients. You have an hour to finish it. However, as you’re hurriedly working through the slides, your dad turns on the news in the living room and cranks up the volume so the whole neighborhood can hear it, and to make it worse, your siblings roar about in the next room as they compete in a gaming tournament. You’re at your wit’s end. Where should you go? Nowhere. Invest in active noise cancellation gear, instead. Yes, get noise-canceling headphones or ear pods from the best companies like Bose and JBL, so you can work in peace at home.
Have a Hearty Lunch
“All work and no play” is a bad combination. It can easily destroy your mental and physical being. Balance is the heart and soul of everything. So, bring some balance into your life as you work from home. Take regular breaks in between work – not too many and not too few. Have a heart lunch with the family and enjoy the table talk. Food has a direct link to your mind and body. What you eat ultimately becomes you. Therefore, try to eat healthily. Introduce some greens into your meal along with a nice portion of protein, fibers, and good carbs to boost your stamina, metabolism, and focus, and prepare you for the work ahead. Try a meal delivery service like Purple Carrot meal kits for an extra healthy lunch. Take coffee or tea breaks and watch a funny cat video to refresh your senses.
Wrapping Up
Working from home is easier said than done. It ushers its own set of challenges, which can either beat you down or raise you above the ranks of your seniors at work. Implement the aforementioned tips to stay sane, productive, and well-organized while working from home in the troubling times ahead.