It is quite a stressful time for all of us because of the coronavirus pandemic. Lots of people are now working from home on the quarantine and it is the least of all inconveniences. Everything is shut down and people are self-isolated. To add even more stress, the news is rather bad, so it is complicated to concentrate on positive.
It is essential to find an anchor in this period and try to stay calm and productive. For many employees, it is quite challenging to get used to the new environment as they previously worked exclusively from the office. Working from home requires concentration and power of will, as well as simple rules to keep a healthy workplace.
Here are 10 tips that will help professionals to make their quarantine efficient.
- Separate Workplace
To stay focused, one needs to have a designated area for professional activity. It should be separated specifically for professional responsibilities and nothing else. Set a workplace with your laptop as far from the bed as possible, which will decrease the temptation to rest a bit.
If there is no specific table, it is even better to use the kitchen one. The idea is to prepare the brain and body for work.
- Set It Comfortably
Choose a comfortable chair; you are going to spend 8 hours there. Have all the supplies and tools needed for professional activity right beside you. Put all the chargers, notebooks, and pens. And, of course, set a good Internet connection.
- Maintain Routine
Office space sets people to the professional mood as well as a morning routine. This routine keeps concentration and motivation up, so the best idea is to follow it even at home. Set an 8-hour shift, better to start in the morning. Wake up, take a shower, have breakfast.
- Dress Up
Always change your clothes in the morning. It is crucial to change from pyjamas to other clothes, not necessarily office ones, just something different. It will create a feeling of uniform that separates leisure time from professional activity. It can be something comfortable, but different from the clothes you wear for free time.
- Eliminate Distractions
Remote employment comes with the freedom to listen to music at a desk or even turn on the TV. Yet, it is counterproductive and only distracts one from doing their job. Treat your day the same way as if you were still at the office. No TV or music on the background. Turn the notification on your smartphone as well.
- Have lunch
When working remotely, people might forget about lunch or have it at their desks. It is not very good for a healthy routine. Set an hour for lunch, the same way you used to have it. Have a normal meal, not snacks and have time to relax and clear your head. This break is vital for rest, which is necessary to not get tired too soon.
- Do not Use Smartphone for Entertainment
This is a trick that will help to keep entertainment and procrastination away from the work desk. Use your phone only for professional purposes while at the desk. If you want to scroll Instafeed or TikTok you have to go to another place in the house, designated for leisure. This way you will have to physically change the location and sometimes the extra effort is enough to not access social media.
Secondly, even if you go somewhere to procrastinate, you will get the instant feeling that you have left the job in the middle of a day and it will make you come back sooner.
- Keep Balance
It is easy to get overloaded with tasks at home. After all, you have spare time because you haven’t been in traffic. There is no need to hurry up because you are already at home. That is why many employees might think that getting more done can be a good idea. Well, everything should be balanced. It is better to leave the workplace as soon as all tasks are accomplished and the shift is over. This way you won’t burn out and ensure a healthy life/work balance. It is important to stay both physically and mentally healthy during the quarantine.
- Stay in Touch
Communicate with colleagues and an employer to keep in touch. It is a necessary part of the process and helps to effectively complete tasks. It is also necessary to keep the everyday routine, get updates and stay less isolated.
- Set Goals
Create a schedule with all tasks and goals to complete for a day, a week, and a month. Also, keep deadlines for all of them. Setting goals helps to stay concentrated on what is important. It also boosts motivation, because as soon as a task gets done and crossed out; you get a feeling of accomplishment.
In Summary
Working from home doesn’t have to be extremely challenging. The key factor of success is maintaining everyday routine as much as possible in the new environment. Have regular hours, keep in touch with colleagues, dress up, and do not procrastinate. And do not forget to have time to rest and re-charge.
