10 Work from home tips from people who do it every day

1. Location- Welcome to your satellite office cushioned in your home! However, finding the right space to work is probably the most important step for you now. The right workspace doesn’t have to be a dedicated office space, it should be a space that mentally prepares you for work mode.

2. Dress the part- Look, one of the biggest selling points of working from home is that you can wear what you want. When you’re working from your bedroom, you don’t need to put on a suit (although don’t let me stop you!) but you should at least wear real pants and a proper shirt. Starting your workday in pajamas, while comfortable, will make you feel less like it’s a regular workday and make it harder to get things done.

3. Defining the work hours- Working from home does not mean working throughout the day non-stop! The difficult thing about working from home is setting boundaries. Leave your laptop in your workspace and only work when you’re in that space.

4. Limit your social media scrolling- Limit time spent scrolling through the headlines on social media. This is a worrying time for everyone, but it is important that scrolling though the social media pages doesn’t interrupt our work schedule

5. Self-appreciation-Remote working can be a drastic change. At times you might feel lonely, isolated, stressed, frustrated, anxious, unmotivated, or — on the other hand — relieved, relaxed, energized, or productive. It’s all OK and normal. Any transition takes time to get used to, so go easy on yourself

6. No room for miscommunication- Resolve confusions with a quick call. Email, text, IM, WhatsApp, and other written methods of communication are prone to creating misunderstandings. When you feel that things are getting lost in translation, be quick to pick up the phone to resolve issues.

7. Handy Toolbox- Working systematically is key so now would be a good time to consider Google Docs, Box, or Dropbox to share files. Don’t mix up team files across email, Google Docs, and your personal hard drive. Work in an organized way.

8. Be proactive- Conquer your least favourite and longest task in the morning. Finishing your most difficult tasks first is probably the best way to minimize the workload for the day.

9. Bye-bye chores- Don’t get involved in tidying around you, laundry, cleaning your room, etc. Plan your day as if you were in an office,

10. Bean it Up- And finally, make yourself a fancy cup of coffee at home, it will boost your mood and keep you energetic!

Written by Shilpi Jaiswal Sen and Nikita Singh