With the world in quarantine, how do you work from home efficiently? This is the question most employers and employees are struggling with today. The entire world today is in a shock, all thanks to the Corona Virus (Covid-19). Countries are going on lockdown every day. People are now forced to work online confined not to their office spaces like they are used to but confined to their homes. The comfort of the house is fantastic but it can be a distraction when you want to work. To many people in the world today, working from home is the only option, especially for countries hit by the Corona Virus.
Working from home sounds great, but how do you work from home and ensure productivity and efficiency? The rise in cloud computing, mobile technology, and fast internet, working from home isn’t a daunting task. Let’s see how you can increase productivity and efficiency working from home.
Create a separate workspace
It doesn’t have to be an entirely separate office. However, it has to be a separate dedicated workspace. When creating the home workspace, the aim is to separate your personal space from your workspace. It’s tough to focus on your work while there is a pile of laundry beside you or a sink full of dishes you keep running into.
Translate your documents, content and your website in 40+ languages. Upload your files or paste your text and a professional translator will start working immediately. Order your translation now
Isolating yourself is the best option. Get a work desk and place it in one corner of a room. Make it face the wall if you have to but don’t let your eyes note distractions in the house. The more you isolate yourself, the better and easier it is to focus on your work. Make sure nothing else is on your work desk. Don’t eat or drink here, leaving plates and mugs on it. This ensures the space stays clean and tidy, not soiling your workspace all the time.
Get fully dressed
One of the advantages of working from home is the ability to stay in your pyjamas all day. However, this hurts your productivity. Human beings are creatures of habit. The moment you get fully dressed, your mind is set that it’s time to work. Whether you are going out to the office or working from home. Let your mind be ready and set by dressing up as you do on a typical day when going to work.
No matter how casual it might be, have a specific casual wardrobe and a particular work wardrobe as well. Specific clothes help shift your mindset and gets you prepared for work activities. Switch to a working or business mindset every morning by dressing up fully and head to your workspace.
Set boundaries
Do it literally. It’s frustrating trying to focus desperately on something only to be interrupted by another person or coworker. When working from home, disruptions are in plenty, especially if you aren’t alone and you have kids. To avoid this, set firm boundaries. If you have kids, set a barrier that separates your workspace. This way, the kids won’s get to you easily. Let your kids and all other members of the family understand you are working and shouldn’t be disrupted.
Minimize talks even during your breaks. You might get sucked up in a conversation and forget you are supposed to be working.
Create a schedule
Create a work from home schedule and stick to it religiously. This requires a lot of discipline. Never go mingling or chatting with friends or any other members of the family unless your schedule says it’s time to take a break. If you want to be work from home efficiently, you also have to be productive. Set goals of what you are supposed to get done and by what time.
Nothing about work changes, only the office space is different, but the rest of your work is the same. You might get a phone call from a friend who knows you are at home. Treat it the same way you could have if you are in the office. Make sure your day is structured as if you are working from the office.
Start early
The same way you report early to work, do it while working from home. Assume you are in the office. Take your breakfast and perform your regular breakfast routine and heat to work in your dedicated workspace. Take advantage of the morning hours as this is when you are most productive. Go through the extensive projects and the more difficult tasks during this time. It’s when you are in the right headspace to tackle them. Save the simple tasks, virtual meetings and calls for the afternoon.
When you start early and stick to a schedule, you are able to work faster, keeping you focused and productive. Your mind is already set that you are going to work but at the comfort of your home. Keep it that way to be more productive.
Conclusion
While everyone is complaining of quarantine, those able to work from home see no difference. It’s an added advantage since you don’t have to go through traffic every morning and evening plus you are at the comfort of your cosy and silent home. While working from home, you are able to get tasks done faster as compared to the same at work.
Being efficient and productive is daunting and working from home doesn’t make it easier. Remember, productivity is the direct result of discipline more than anything else. The difference between working from home and in the office is you can minimize distractions at home as compared to the office. The coronavirus is a pandemic but a passing one. With people in quarantine, working from home isn’t an option but remember, being productive is the aim. As much as you want to take a peek at the TV to know how far the government is in dealing with the corona virus, save this for your breaks. Stay away from social media, especially on your computer. Structure yourself in a way that your office space is no different from your real office and see your productivity increases.