If you’re new to the work from home set-up, whether it is because of the pandemic or you find yourself a new remote-based work, you might see yourself having the need to alter some of your habits in your lifestyle to make a successful working endeavor.
There are several advantages when you start working from home. First, there is comfort. The second point to mention is the ability to work with a degree of flexibility. Lastly, the exclusion of transportation fare allows you to save money!
Before the pandemic, working from home sounds like a privilege for those who could have it. The concept sounds pretty convenient and fun. However, it could be different for some people. Yes, you can rest in the comfort of your home, wear pajamas all day, and have your own set-up. However, research shows remote work isn’t the dream that they’re expecting to come to reality.
Long-hour meetings, virtual conversation, tired eyes, and blurring lines between duties and personal time has taken a toll on many people. In addition, some of their struggles revolve around motivation and productivity. In fact, there is a significant decline in the productivity levels of people who are starting to work in a remote environment, as seen on this page.
Here’s How To Stay Productive And Alert!
- Get Up Early
You wouldn’t want to be late for your Zoom meeting, right? Sleeping in until the start time is a surefire way to end up in trouble. So make sure you give yourself plenty of time before your job starts to get yourself in the productive headspace
Set the alarm and make sure you follow through on it. Dress in a way that will motivate you to be more productive during the day.
If dressing up makes you confident, you can dress in formal attire with high heels to feel professional. Or you may only need to shave and put on your comfy clothing to feel ready for work.
Also, being early means you’ll get to enjoy the same morning routine you have built for yourself. Prepare a bowl of oatmeal, have some fruits, and relax with a steaming cup of grounded coffee in your hand. Having a hot coffee in the morning will make you more alert and focus, according to science.
You can do some stretching exercises first or chat with your friends before starting to make your morning feel good.
- Separating Your Personal Space And Workspace
Try to set up your home office away from your personal space— that means far from a couch and definitely not in your bed.
A dedicated home office is where you can get to close your door to shut the distractions out of your way. But make sure to find a location where you can be comfortable enough to be productive and ideal sufficient to make yourself motivated.
This will help you make a fine line between your personal life and your job. At the same time, this will also indirectly inform any of your household members that you’re working. Hence, you’ll get to focus more on your tasks without getting disturbed.
- Make A Schedule And Have Multiple Breaks
Virtual working, as mentioned, consists of longer working hours than usual. So taking a break is a must for every employee. This serves as a mental reset where you can relax and stop being stressed with workloads. You might see having breaks as unnecessary at first, but this will help improve your concentration and focus. Otherwise, it may only lead to physical and mental fatigue that can burn you out after some time.
But don’t use this as an excuse. The way not to abuse taking breaks is to plan your day ahead. It is recommended to follow a routine or schedule to ensure you take enough rest and do your responsibilities and obligations as needed.
Having a routine can help you in many ways. Make it as realistic as possible during your work hours. In addition, do not forget to have some extra time to include for the unexpected workload that might come. Manage your time wisely, folks!
- Stay Connected To Get Interactions
Occasionally, working from home can lead to social isolation. You will most likely miss the casual social interactions outside with your co-workers. Also, you wouldn’t get to be more participative for small talks and other activities. This can get lonely and boring, and it might make you less productive. That is why it is essential to maintain human connection, regardless.
Even if you’re not physically present at the work office, it is essential to get collaborative with others as this may also affect your job. This will help promote effective collaboration, leading to more innovation, increased success, and improved communication, which enhances teamwork. In addition, you will get to know other people better.
And this is not just limited to your co-workers! You can still talk and interact with other people if it doesn’t disturb you. When you spend most of your working day alone, it’s a good idea to see another face during the day.
- One-At-A-Time Rule
Did you know that your brain works better if you’re focusing only on one task?
Multitasking may appear to be more productive, but it can actually make you more inefficient. According to research, doing multiple things at once has been shown to lower your intelligence level (check it here: https://www.verywellmind.com/multitasking-2795003). This can also reduce the quality of your work. So it’s pointless to try to juggle everything at the same time because you’ll never be able to concentrate properly.
If you find yourself in an overwhelming task, you can divide it into smaller tasks and finish them one by one.
Often, our productivity and motivation are affected if we do complex tasks. As mentioned, keep a list for your schedule and reward yourself afterwards. Focusing on one step at a time will reduce distraction and make your work more efficient. Otherwise, you might harm your brains without knowing.
