Working at home during the lock-down situation could be more challenging, since we are always aware of the familiarity and structure of the office. You may need to setup new routines or come up with different plans of achieving work-life balance when working remotely. We asked our team at Neolite Infotech India Pvt ltd to share some of their advice on how to stay more productive and maintain focus while working from home during this pandemic situation.
Below is the list of the top working home tips:
Adapt Your Office Procedure to Your Home
This may mean adapting some of the strategies that kept you productive in at your home routine, such as:
- Asking for help on projects if you are overwhelmed with the tasks assigned to you
- Having openly and honestly conversation to your manager or mentor if you’re struggling
- Collaborating with your manager to set daily goals for yourself and others
- Ensuring any goals you set for yourself or others have flexibility built into them
- Taking lunch or tea breaks at the same time as you normally would in the office
Explore the Time Management Method
A time management method developed by Francesco Cirillo, this technique requires the use of a timer to break down work into small segments that are punctuated by short interval of breaks. Work segments are basically 25 minutes long. Once you’ve completed four 25-minute work intervals, you can take a longer break which would be a lunch break.
To get started, you can use a regular timer or try an app, like the Be Focused App. This free app lets you set custom intervals for focused work with small breaks. Working in short interval helps improve concentration and cut down on dithering.
Download a Productivity App
If your mobile phone is your biggest daily disturbance, you may want to put down it to a different room during office hours, so you aren’t tempted to reach for it each time you receive a message or notification.
However, you’ll likely need it during the day. Consider downloading the Forest app, which helps you develop work patterns by creating a “phone-free zone.” This app makes avoiding phone distractions, similar to the Time Management Technique, Forest App lets you set a timer to work at specific intervals and then rewards you for completing uninterrupted work periods and that is really amazing.
Every time you complete an uninterrupted work period, you grow a non existing tree; but in case if you reach for your phone during a 25-minute work interval, your tree dies. The Forest app is develop in such a manner to increase your productivity levels by creating a forest of virtual trees.
Create a To-Do List at the Beginning of the Day
Make a checklist with all the tasks and projects you need to complete+ during the day at your home during this crisis. A to do list helps you stay well organized and focused on the tasks at hand. This is especially important when your normal work procedure are interrupted during pandemic situation, so you don’t forget anything important.
As you complete items on your list, physically checking them off the list provides a real sense of accomplishment. Go back to your list at the end of the day to assess your progress, reshuffle priorities, and determine which tasks need to be moved to the next day’s list.
Listen to Good Music
If your home workspace is very much noisy and you want to block out background sound, try listening to good and soft music which really helps out you to sort down. Good and soft music that promotes relaxation, calm, and focus. Because the music doesn’t have lyrics, it’s not distract you anyway; and listening can help you achieve a sense of flow while you work. To get started, you can create a “Focus Music” or “Ambient Music” playlist . If you communicate at first, your manager will appreciate you being more active and providing regular updates.
Maintain Open Lines of Communication
It is always important to stay in regular communication with your manager and teammates when you work from home. Check in to let your teammates know about your workflow, needs, disruptions, or any other constraints that comes aside which is limiting your progress on an assignment.
You Have the Right Tools and Technology While Working Remotely
At Neolite Infotech india Pvt Ltd we use digital tools like Microsoft Skype and Anydesk to stay connected to colleagues and communicate with them. This technology lets us message each other, hold video and conference calls, coordinate projects, and even organize virtual coffee breaks and social check-ins.
There are a wide variety of online messaging and communicating tools, including WHATS-APP and Google Hangouts etc. These communication platforms are a great way to keep teams connected and collaborating, no matter where they reside. An added plus: Many of these tools are either free or have a good reviews on app store.
In addition to the right communication channels, working from home requires having the right technology. This often includes:
- A functioning camera: Although most laptops have cameras built-in, most desktop computers do not you can try an external webcam.
- A headset with a clear microphone: If you prefer a headset-free way to communicate, try a USB or Bluetooth speakerphone.
- Strong Wi-Fi: If you are using Wi-Fi, on your PC try using a LAN to connect your computer to your router. A wired connection is generally more reliable than wireless.
Move Around During the Day
It can’t be easy to stay stick to your chair all day long. However, it’s very important to get up and move around periodically. According to the studies, “Short movements and exercises throughout the workday can boost employee energy, engagement, and efficiency at a time and can improve the productivity of the work.”
If you’re in a long meeting and can’t get up to walk around, you can try yoga on chair or other any other leg movement which makes you feel better.
Establish and Maintain Work Boundaries
If you normally work a 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. schedule, follow this same routine at home. Be firm about your boundaries. Also, be careful about letting work hours blend into your home and family life. For example, take your lunch break away from your computer desk so that you can stretch your legs, give your eyes a break, and clear your mind. At the end of the day, turn your computer off so you aren’t tempted to continue working past your normal work hours.
We hope these important tips help you stay productive and motivated while working from home!