Top Tips for Working from Home during the National Lockdown
If you are new to the work-from-home lifestyle, the most important thing to remember is that you will have to change some of your habits and routines in order to make working from home a success.
We all face unique challenges in this regard, not only because we all have different personalities, but also due to our various lifestyles, family obligations, and the specific type of work we do. However, remote workers generally face similar issues, which can all be addressed quite effectively.
Everyone who works remotely has to figure out when to work, where to work, and how to create boundaries between work and personal life. What about office equipment, career development, training opportunities, and building relationships with colleagues? Working remotely, especially when working from home most of the time, means figuring out these issues, and others.
- Maintain regular hours
Set a schedule, and stick to it. Having clear guidelines as when to work and when to call it a day helps many remote workers maintain a healthy work-life balance. That said, one of the many benefits of remote work is flexibility. Sometimes you just need to extend the day, or start earlier to accommodate someone else that has cropped up. When you do so, be sure to wrap up earlier than usual, or sleep in a bit the next morning in order to make up for it. This built-in flexibility often results in remote workers being far more productive than when having an office-bound routine imposed on them.
- Create a morning routine
Deciding to sit down at your desk and start work at a certain time is one thing. Creating a routine that guides you into the chair is another. What in your morning routine indicates you're about to start work? It might be making a cup of coffee. It might be getting dressed … Wearing PJ pants to work is a perk for some, but a terrible idea for others. A routine can be more powerful than a clock in getting you started each day. Of course, not everyone who works from home follows a nine-to-five schedule. Your ‘getting started’ point may well be at another time of day.
- 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 children at home with you during the lockdown, they need clear rules about what they can and cannot do during that time.
- Schedule breaks
Know your company’s policy on break times, and take these as stipulated. Give yourself adequate time during the day to walk away from the computer screen and cellphone. Don’t short-change yourself during breaks, especially your lunch hour! This is important to keep yourself refreshed and motivated at all times.
- Ask for what you need
Be sure to request the equipment you need as soon as you start working from home, or in a day or two you might realise you need something you do not have. This will ensure you get your job done comfortably, including the right monitor, keyboard, mouse, chair, software. If you’re working from home unexpectedly as with the national lockdown, ask for what you need timeously, and within reason.
- Keep a dedicated office space
In an ideal world, remote employees would have not only a dedicated office, but also two computers, one for work and one for personal use. It’s more secure for the employer, and more comfortable for the worker. But not everyone has a separate office in their home, and keeping two machines isn’t always an option. Instead, dedicate a desk and some peripherals only for work use. For example, when your laptop is hooked up to the monitor and external keyboard, it’s work time. When it’s on your lap, that’s personal time.
- E-socialise With colleagues
Loneliness, disconnect, and isolation are common problems in remote work life, especially for extroverts. Combined with the specific restrictions pertaining to the national lockdown, this is going to be a very difficult period for everyone. Engage with your work colleagues on Zoom or Skype to catch up on how they are doing, and what important tasks need to be completed by the team.
- Over-communicate
Working remotely requires you to over-communicate. Tell everyone who needs to know about your schedule and availability often. When you finish a project or important task, say so. Over-communicating doesn't necessarily mean you have to write a five-paragraph essay to explain your every move, but it does mean making everyone else in the team aware that no balls are being dropped.
- Don't Be Too Hard on Yourself
It takes serious focus to do any full-time office job from an unconventional space. That said, everyone lets their attention drift sometimes. Don't reprimand yourself too harshly if this happens. Cut yourself some slack, and then get back to work.
- End your day with a routine
Just as you should start your day with a routine, create a habit that signals the close of the workday. Something as simple as shutting down your computer and turning on Netflix will do. Whatever you choose, do it consistently to mark the end of working hours.
- Be Positive
When you work remotely, you must be positive, especially in the context of the national lockdown, which will have a major impact on our entire way of life for the next three weeks. There is a light at the end of the tunnel come 16 April!
We will all get through this together by staying safe, and working smartly.
Source: https://www.pcmag.com/news/get-organized-20-tips-for-working-from-home.