It is most likely that you woke up to find yourself working from home, not by choice, but by necessity. With the COVID-19 outbreak grows, a large number of companies around the globe announced that their staff will be working remotely to reduce the spread of Coronavirus. However, some companies such as E-Arabization have been providing home-based positions even before the crisis. This being said, in this article, we will highlight some of the perks and tips that we experience as home-based workers to help you work as effectively as possible.
First, we can tell you that working from home is amazing! There are no hard rules when it comes to setting up your workspace, you have to only focus on having a space that has a singular purpose, as in ‘’only used for work’’. This will not only keep the space tidy but will have a certain influence over your psychological state, your mind will almost instantly shift to work mood once you visit your workspace. Second is setting up boundaries with your family to not interrupt you while you’re at your workspace, this can be achieved through good communication.
Now to stay productive, you have to establish a clear communication method with your boss and team, suggest having a short kick-off meeting every morning to wrap up the day. Make sure that your team have the necessary suite of tools for remote communications, such as Skype, Zoom and Slack, so you can all take it more seriously. Include as much face-to-face communication as possible to avoid feelings of loneliness and isolation and check on each other, this will help everyone feel united and decrease the stress levels.
In addition to what was mentioned before, it is tough to maintain a positive attitude with all that is going in the world today but here are some tips to improve your mental health and productivity:
1. Make sure you get a good night sleep: this will help you stay relatively sane and not dwell on your existential crisis.
2. Avoid Social Media: This might seem hard but it is important that you don’t let the media destroy your spirit or sell you false news that might trigger your anxiety.
3. Have a morning ritual: Having a routine that you stick to in the morning will give you a sense of control over your life and will prepare you for the day.
4. Exercise: Now that the gym is closed you have to find a way to move your muscles and stay in shape, your mind needs it as much as your body.
5. Dress up: getting ready every morning will improve your mood.
6. Create a distinct workplace: You can still work from the couch but preparing your own space will help you like the idea of working from home.
7. To-Do-Lists: It is the best way to structure your work schedule, simply breakdown all your large tasks into small steps and cross off these tasks once done to gain an insight into what you achieve through the day.
8. Avoid Distraction: Understand that you are now your own boss, get away from anything that might distract you and create rules for your workspace.
9. The afternoon slump: The best time to take a break!
10. Make plans to look forward to: Although you cannot leave the house or have any social activities, you can make plans to practice your hobbies, watch a movie, self-care or face time with your friends.
Simply, consider work as a distraction from focusing on the negative and do your best to give all you can. As Don Miguel Ruiz says “Always Do Your Best. Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret.”