COVID-19 has made work from home a necessity rather than a luxury for a lot of professionals. When you are used to an office environment, getting accustomed to working from home could have proved to be a challenge, especially when it must have been months by now! In the office, you are prone to be more productive owing to the environment and discipline. A tumbler of hot coffee, or a sip of cold juice from your insulated water bottle or a quick snack, you can take a mini break an dget back to work immediately. If you are struggling to be more fruitful, then here are few habits for productive work from home.
1. Staying Active
Staying cooped up in the house because of the pandemic has also become a part of the “New Normal.” The gyms are closed or restricted, the parks are closed, and exercising and physical activities have come to a halt. Sitting for long hours without physical activity can harm the oxygen supply to the body along with blood circulation. You can include yoga, simple cardio or aerobic exercises, or Zumba in your morning routine. You can also do stretching exercises of the hand, head, shoulder, and arm during working. Doing it every 30 minutes can be relaxing for your body. If you are already into fitness, then you can dedicate 1 hour towards working out every day.
2. Hydrate Yourself
As trivial as it might sound, hydration is a key factor in self-care. Your body, when dehydrated, can lead to plenty of health issues, which can, in turn, make you a little unproductive. Start your day with at least a liter of water and keep drinking 2 liters more throughout the day. The best way to ensure hydration is to keep a water bottle with you at all times of the day.
3. Eye Care
Laptops and convertibles are quite helpful, but they are by no means meant for permanent work. Constant staring into the screen can result in dry eyes, which are more sensitive to infection as well as discomfort and headaches. It is advisable to invest in a screen with a diagonal of 22 inches at least. It leads to a more comfortable sitting position and also spares your eyes with its height and less blue light with high contrast. For dry eyes, avoid sitting near air conditioners, coolers, or fans, avoid smoking in the workspace and dust your workspace and surroundings regularly.
4. Breaks are a Must
Chit-chatting with colleagues, getting some fresh air, getting coffee, and even heading to the office canteen were short breaks which were a relief for both head and eyes. Breaks are essential in your work routine as staying glued in front of the desktop can prove to be very tiring and exhausting. Breaks refresh and revive you. Most MNCs have break times for this very reason. Regeneration is essential for efficiency. Working from home could have stopped your breaks, and you are not that mindful of taking breaks like you were in your office.
5. Dress for Your Work
Like your workspace needs organizing, you need it too! Wearing something that resembles your work attire could put you in the right mindset for work. Just wear something comfortable yet formal. This way, you will be ready for even quick video conferences and can also quickly check in with your team. Even if your work does not require video calls, you can still dress up as it will make you want to be more productive.
6. Finding the Balance
Temptations and distractions are inevitable when you’re home, and even if it is work time, you will have the urge to get up, check the fridge, get a snack, play a little video game, watch TV, listen to music, take a nap, etc. To overcome the compulsion to slack off, you can create a routine that works for you and stick by it unconditionally. Include waking up timing, shower timing, exercise timing, eating timings, leisure timings in your timetable along with working. It is also essential that you log out or sign off at your timings. It is easy to procrastinate and overwork yourself when you are home. Also, make sure that you go for walks, watch movies, talk to people, catch up with friends. You shouldn’t be so filled with work that you forget to have your downtime or regular routine like before.
7. A Dedicated Workspace
It comes as no surprise that your home lacks the environment of your workspace since workspaces are designed to make you more focused and productive. Home being home is anything but a workspace. But this pandemic has led everyone to make their homes their workplace. Working from home has also gotten people into the habit of working from bed or couch, which is unhealthy and leads to back and neck aches. So, you must make an effort to turn it into the closest version of good working space. For this, select a spot in your home and dedicate it to work. Make sure you keep all your equipment in this space. You will soon notice that it increases both your productivity and concentration.
8. Getting Everyone on Board
If you live with your family, then this tip is just for you. Your children or parents could probably come bursting into your room regarding something or turn on television or music sounds at high volume or shout. All this will lead to you getting distracted. Gather your folks and set boundaries on your work timings to ensure they understand that you are not disturbed unless there is an emergency. This will make them more mindful. You can, however, check up on them in your breaks and have lunch with them.
9. Pick a finishing time
You might be thinking that working from home can establish more work-life balance, but be careful with that conjecture. You can get so caught up working from home in a peaceful environment that you lose complete track of time. Instead of coworkers who remind you to leave the office when you see them doing the same, set the alarm for a specific time to indicate your workday coming to an end. You do not have to stop at exactly that time, but knowing the workday is technically over can help to start the process of saving your work and calling it quits for the evening.
10. Eat and sleep
What is the biggest perk of working from home? One of the primary benefits for some people is complete access to the kitchen. As soon as you take a break, you automatically drift towards the kitchen for snacks. An unhealthy diet can affect productivity and end up draining your energy. To tackle this, you need to switch to a healthier diet to function better and get the most from your routine. So eat well when working from home. It is also vital to stick to a proper sleep schedule. Save binge-watching favorite shows for the weekend. You can make a success of working from home with the right food to keep energy levels high and sleep soundly to refresh your mind and body.
Conclusion
As work from home becomes an integral part of everyone’s lives, it is important to understand how you can stay productive without going crazy. These tips are bound to make you more productive and fruitful over time. Happy WFH!
