How to work from Home (15/30)
During this Corona virus crisis many people have been forced to quarantine at home. This has brought about work from home policy which frankly is a new concept to many traditional employees. Here, I list some tips that can work to smooth the transition from working in an office to working at home.
1. Have a dedicated work space
To those who are fortunate to have a spare room at home, you can convert it to be your home office space. But if you don’t, simply setting aside a desk or table and dedicating it for work will go a long way. Once you have this set up, your mind will also tune itself that whenever you enter this space, you will become work oriented.
2. Have a routine
Just like regular office hours, create a routine at home that will help you keep in check. Set times that you get to work, break and when to stop work. Working from home makes you be flexible with your timings as you have to work around other distractions. Knowing when you are most productive, set your routine in such a way that these hours are most utilized.
3. Have a to-do list
Create a to-do list everyday as this will help you know your duties and priorities for each day. It makes sure you work with a purpose and direction as you have no supervisor at home. A to-do list will make your work easy.
4. Have a separate phone number
Keeping a separate phone number apart from your regular one will help know the difference between personal calls and work calls. This is very helpful as it will prevent you from being distracted by personal calls during work hours. Buy another line and use it as your office line.
5. Have rules with people around you
Have strict rules with people at home; spouse, friends and children. Let them know when you are working and when you are free so that they do not interrupt when you are working. This will create a smooth relation and working environment with few interruptions.
6. Have breaks
Know when to take breaks as working alone can lead you to overworking. Having break times will enable you to relax and spend some time with people around you than getting lost in your work. Set breaks and adhere to them faithfully.
7. Communicate
Keep in touch with your colleagues through phone calls, texts and face time. This will help you share your routine and schedule so that they can know when they can find you. It will also help you to know where a project or work is at and know how best to contribute. It will also promote bonding that will prevent getting bored with work. Share your routine, to-do list and the work you’ve completed.
Following these tips will help you shift from normal office to home office without losing your productivity. Let’s stay safe and productive.
