Staying Productive While Working From Home
COVID-19 has drastically changed the business landscape not just in Malaysia, but all around the world. Employers and employees are required to work from home. Unfortunately, being efficient when working from home can be a challenge. It can be classified as a double-edge sword- you get to stay home, but it is difficult to remain focused and productive while working. In this era of social distancing, many may find it lonely too. Nevertheless, as the coronavirus outbreak is probably not going away anytime soon, it is important to adjust and learn how to be more productive while maintaining your mental well-being.
Here are a few ways to ensure you get the necessary productive work done while working from home:
1. Have a defined schedule and stick to it
When working from home, you should keep a more structured daily schedule than usual. This is because the structure of our daily workday is usually influenced by other people.
Have a plan and stick to it so that you will remain focused to complete the tasks needed.
Communicate and set boundaries with your family or people you live with so they don’t disturb you during certain times unless there’s an emergency.
Know when to stop and take breaks so that you don’t end up working all day. At the same time, avoid sleeping in or wasting time during work hours.
Have a sense of normalcy- wake up, eat, work and exercise at times you usually would do so on a normal workday.
2. Set a working location
It definitely helps to find and dedicate a spot that you can associate with working only.
Try to sit at a desk instead of working on your bed or couch as you might feel sleepy while lying down (make your bedroom a sacred place just to relax once you're done with work).
Put yourself in the mindset of “When I am here, I am working.”
3. Daily check-ins
This routine is important to set priorities for the day!
As not all your co-workers are comfortable working from home or due to isolation, it can be an extremely stressful and anxious time for them. This can happen to even the most level-headed people.
It is key to communicate as much as possible with your team. Remember to ask questions about their mental well-being too.
Hopefully, we will get back to normalcy soon. However, in the meantime, these tips can help you make the best of this current situation and allow you to keep calm, carry on and work.