Articles

How to Work from Home and Stay Productive Amidst a Crisis

by Emma L. Business consultant

remote

As the world is being shaken by the COVID-19 crisis, more and more people are forced into self-isolation and have to work from home. While there are plenty of people who have had the opportunity to work from home in the past, for many others, this is a totally new experience. If you are one of those people, this is a great time to learn about the benefits of working from home, but also the challenges you will have to overcome. So, with that in mind, today we are going to take a look at how to work from home and stay productive amidst a crisis. 

Set your house in order before you start work

One of the most important things to do while being in social isolation during this crisis is to regularly clean and keep your house in order. Being locked away for a long period of time will make most people put off their daily chores with the excuse that they will do them tomorrow, yet more often than not, they don’t. And while setting your house in order regularly is a must in order to keep good hygiene, it also has benefits for your work productivity.


Doing things such as getting dressed and making your bed in the morning can do wonders for you, and will have a huge impact on your productivity throughout the day. And while it may sound silly, in reality, doing simple things such as these and grabbing those little “victories” will make every other difficulty that you come up against that day a little easier to overcome. However, you shouldn’t just stop there. It can also be a good idea to do all of the other little, or big, chores you have before you even start work, as it will put your thoughts at ease, eliminating distractions and giving you the ability to be fully focused on your work.

Have a dedicated workspace

working

One of the biggest problems you may face while working from home is maintaining a regular work schedule. One of the best ways to overcome this obstacle is to designate a dedicated workspace. This will help you stay focused on the task at hand and eliminate the distractions that can often come from our surroundings. Your workspace should have the essentials: desk, a comfortable chair and, if possible, it should also be separated from the rest of your house by a door. This will help your brain distinguish work time from playtime and help you stay concentrated and productive. Additionally, you should also talk to the other members of your household and explain to them that while you are in your workspace they shouldn’t bother you unless it’s something urgent. 

Good internet connection

The only reason people are able to work effectively from home during this crisis and in general is because of the internet. It is essentially what allows you to have a constant communication link with the rest of your coworkers or customers and be able to perform your job even though you’re not in the office. If you have a poor internet connection, you may not be able to receive new tasks on time and communicate with them about your ongoing projects. Which is why you need to make sure your internet connection is fast and stable. Check with your internet provider about their latest affordable NBN plans and consider getting a hardwire connection in order to minimise disruptions. However, if it’s too big of a hassle, getting a good internet router can be just as efficient.

Eliminate distractions

workfromhome

One of the most difficult parts of working from home is trying to eliminate all of the distractions that constantly keep popping up. This is especially true with the coronavirus crisis as people have the constant need to check news and see what’s going on.


The TV, internet, friends and family can all cause you to lose focus and easily justify to yourself why you should take a “few minutes” break. However, the biggest distraction and the biggest cause for procrastination in today's world will most likely be your phone. While the easiest solution for this may be to just turn it off when you are working, the chance of you actually doing so is quite low, as you may require it for work or may need to be reachable for other personal reasons. There are many apps that can help you reduce your screen time by setting time limits on how much you can use your phone. 

Make a schedule and stick to it

Even though working from home allows you to escape the predetermined work routine that you had to organise your life around, it doesn’t mean that you should abandon the idea of a schedule as a whole. As a matter of fact, having a schedule and the routine you eventually build up by sticking to it can be one of the biggest boosts not only to your productivity but wellbeing as well. If you are able to organise your time well, you are going to starting seeing that it’s easier for you to get yourself to be productive, but, you will also start realising that you have more free time as well, since most of our days are spent in procrastination when we really should be getting things done. While it’s undoubtedly going to be hard to stick to a schedule at first, It’s important that you don’t give up. If you feel like you just can’t keep up, you shouldn’t be afraid to be a bit more realistic and aim lower until you have something that you can consistently achieve and further build on.

Conclusion

The crisis we are going through right now is affecting the whole world, and we have to show solidarity in order to get through it as less painful as possible. Working from home is something that may not come so easily to most people. However, if you follow the tips we’ve listed here, you should be well on your way to remaining productive and getting through this crisis. 



Sponsor Ads


About Emma L. Advanced Pro  Business consultant

3 connections, 0 recommendations, 158 honor points.
Joined APSense since, February 18th, 2016, From Sydney, Australia.

Created on Jun 19th 2020 02:55. Viewed 449 times.

Comments

No comment, be the first to comment.
Please sign in before you comment.