Covid-19 has significantly changed our way of life from socializing to how we do our job. For many of us, working from home has become the new norm and it comes with its own set of benefits and drawbacks. The good news is that there are measures you can put in place in order to improve your work from home experience.
Being able to work from home means there is no commute, it saves a lot of time (and great for the environment). This reduces your stress level. Working from home also helps you save money; your transportation cost is zero and you don’t have to go out for lunch.
On the flip side, working from home has its own disadvantages. You work at home and you sleep at home. Sometimes it’s hard to draw a line between your private life and professional life. Working from home can be lonely, and communication and collaboration could be a challenge.
Since Covid-19 is likely to stay with us for quite sometimes and many companies have found that working from home can be just as productive as working from the office. This means working from home could be here to stay. Below are 4 tips to stay productive and maintain your work and life balance while working from home.
1. Create a designated workspace
Having a dedicated room or space for work will help set a boundary between your private and professional life. It will help you stay in the right frame of mind and it will also make it easier for you to switch off when you finish work.
2. Keep regular work hours
Having a regular work schedule is important for both you and your colleague. If you used to work 8 AM to 5 PM from the office, it is a good idea to maintain that working hour. This will be easier for you to get your work done as it is usually your productive period and your colleague knows exactly when they can get in touch with you.
3. Stay Connected
Applications like Microsoft Teams allows you to stay in touch with your colleague whether it is a team meeting, casual instant messages, or a catch-up over a virtual coffee. Tools like this enable us to collaborate and stay in the loop among our colleagues.
4. Setup a comfortable workstation
If you’re going to work from home for a long period, consider investing in quality technology and comfortable furniture to create an ergonomic workplace. A comfortable workstation allows you to focus on your task and be more productive.
There are always positives and negative aspects to any working environment. There are many challenges when we work from home, but a few changes to our routine could help us greatly to be more productive and still maintain our work and life balance.
