The extension in the lockdown due to Coronavirus comes as a mandate across borders. And while most businesses have mandated working from home for their employees, let’s admit- productivity cannot be the same throughout the day as we have in a work environment. At work, we meet colleagues, explore avenues together, brainstorm with team members while working on our soft skills at the same time.
I have self-quarantined myself for about ten days now, considering my husband’s work profile falls under essential services. In the beginning, we hardly got to speak to each other even when at home, which was starting to impact on my work as well. And while a good number of my co-workers were really happy with the prospect of working from home, there’s always a bunch of people like me who never found the idea exciting. But it’s testing times and to stay safe this is the best way out. So here are a few ways to stay focussed and increase productivity when in self-quarantine.
Start early
The time taken to travel to my office was never more than 20 minutes. So when working from home I happen to save that time, but how do I use it- No, not by laying in the bed for twenty minutes more, rather starting a little early than usual. I happen to be a morning person. Leveraging the absence of commute time to start work early gives you enough time to be productive, improves concentration (because of lesser disturbances), and allows for a nap break as well.
Home Office
Your performance has a lot to do with the corner you choose to work in. I prefer to have a desk dedicated to my work requirements, with my greens around and phone far-far away. It’s just the two of us in here, so I hardly have any disturbances throughout the day. And yet, I find it difficult to concentrate because I am so used to people working around me and that’s how I like it. Your Home office should be in a place you feel the most comfortable and creative in.
Communication
The internet is your only source of communication during the lockdown. You may have found it easy to quarantine yourself, but as humans, we do crave for social interaction at some point of time. Make sure you use the available tools of communication whenever you feel lonely. I wouldn’t call myself a talkative person, but there have been days when I just worked on my PC and didn’t get a chance to speak to anyone. The mood would definitely hold back on such days.
Unwind
This may not sound like something that could help increase your productivity at work, but, trust me, it does. I have always wanted to have greens all around me and that is what I started doing. The whole idea of seeing something grow gives me hope and brightens my space. That’s why I chose to set a schedule wherein I’d keep time for work and the hobby. If nothing, it is sure to answer a frequently asked question- how to stay motivated when working from home.
Take regular breaks
Self-quarantine may seem to have lessened the number of breaks you would take otherwise, but there’s still a lot you can do without coming in close proximity with others. For instance, I schedule my breaks around the time I need coffee or prepare lunch. That way, I am helping in household chores, and breaks are productive as well. Being glued to your screen throughout the day will only cause strain in your eyes and neck.
Everybody has a different way of unwinding. In these testing times, we need to stay put and keep ourselves motivated. Work from home is an opportunity for some and looks difficult for others. No one knows how long is it going to take for things to go back to normal. Creating a better tomorrow certainly depends on how you make remote working a good experience today.