Working From Home – tips learnt from 2020
With the South African strain of COVID-19 now having reached Zambia, many offices are being forced to once again ask their employees to work from home. Although we all start out with good intentions, it is easy to get distracted with other tasks and without our daily routine and office chit-chat with colleagues many people become stressed or feel isolated making, us unmotivated and less productive.
So what have we learnt from working from home during 2020? Here are our top tips to help you through your working day.
Get ready for your work
It is easy to roll out of bed and just start looking at emails, but having a shower and getting dressed, even in casual clothes, signals that you are ready to start work. Defining the start of your working day will make you feel more positive and productive because you are in ‘work mode’. Don’t forget that working from home does not mean that people will not be able to see you – you might suddenly be asked to attend an online meeting or call!
Define your work space
Working from home is convenient – after all you are not spending time stuck in traffic trying to get to your office – but resist the temptation of sitting on your couch with your computer. Not only is it bad for your posture, which can lead to back problems, sitting in front of the television means you can easily get distracted.
Choose a dedicated area in which to work. Find a space with good natural light and set up a small ‘home office’. Creating a specific workspace as an office environment, with everything you need to get your work done, keeps you more focused and helps you to concentrate on your tasks.
Keep to normal working hours
Plan your day – when you are going to start, take breaks and then set a time to stop working for the day. It is easy to lose track of time when working from home, so make sure you stick to your schedule. You might have days with a larger workload, in which case you can extend your working hours, but doing this on a daily basis can be harmful to your health. It is not always productive and can be stressful, both physically and mentally.
A work-life balance is essential. Your personal life is just as important as your professional life. Don’t be tempted to send one more email or contact a colleague after working hours – calling someone when they are in the middle of preparing their evening meal is annoying at the very least and as they have switched off their mind-set from work, you might not always get the best response! So at the end of your working day, turn off your computer and move away from your work space.
Create a ‘to do’ list
Creating a list and planning your tasks for the day ahead helps you keep track of your progress and be more efficient. Break your day up into chunks, grouping tasks together – such as checking and responding to emails first thing, then dedicating the morning to administrative tasks, whilst keeping the afternoon free for more time consuming and lengthy tasks.
By using a check list and ‘chunking’ your work, you will get through your tasks more effectively, keep focused and then you can easily check what else needs to be done for the following day.
Turn off distractions
Even when you are working in your office, distractions can keep you from being productive and be time wasting. The same applies when you are working remotely, distracting you every time your phone or computer chirps or pings. So turn off your social media. You are also allowed to turn off notifications or put your devices on ‘Do not disturb’ or silent, especially when you are dealing with difficult tasks and you need to focus.
What happens if you are attending an online meeting and your children skip in?
It is not easy to work in a chaotic environment. So let your children, spouse and other household members know your work hours, and set out the reasons why and when you can be disturbed and why and when you cannot.
Take breaks and exercise
Research shows that working from home can easily lead to burnout if you are not good at stepping away from your desk and taking a break. Make time during your day to catch up with your children and friends, take your dog for a quick walk or to take some exercise.
Exercise is beneficial to your health and by increasing the blood flow to your brain, helps to sharpen your mind and keeps you more alert. Staying fit also helps with mental health, heightening your endorphin levels which boost happiness. This is especially important if you are missing the social aspects of working in your office.
Maintaining good posture without the benefit of specifically designed office chairs can be a challenge. So take short breaks and try some simple stretches, walk up and down stairs or just getting up to make a drink will help loosen up your muscles.
Eat healthy
One of the advantages of working from home is that you are always close to your kitchen for a quick snack. But don’t be tempted to just grab the first thing that comes to hand. Sticking to a healthy diet is essential to help you function as ‘junk’ food can drain your energy and over eating can lead to sluggishness and tiredness, making it harder for you to carry out your tasks. And don’t forget to drink lots of water!
Interact with your colleagues
Working from home can make you feel isolated. At the office you are surrounded by your colleagues, where you have the same goals and ideas whereas at home, everyone works differently and might be on different work schedules. So do regularly check in with your boss and make time to socialise remotely with your team so that you don’t feel disconnected. This way you can easily share information and ideas and also it helps to keep each other motivated.
And don’t forget – you are not alone!
At this time, millions of people around the world are having to work from home, so never feel that you are alone. When you have turned off your computer and finished your work for the day, then take some time to chat about your day with a friend or even send them an email about your day. Doing this helps you process your day and organise your thoughts so that you are fresh and ready to start again the following day.