11 Tips and Tricks to effectively work from home

When the entire nation is in lockdown due to a pandemic, it is difficult to concentrate on work. COVID-19 taking lives all over the world is making us restless.  We all are on tenterhooks looking forward to things coming back on track again. Work from home is now a compulsion if you want to carry on with your job.  Some of us have prior experience of work from home. A few haven’t experienced it so far.  These tips and tricks will help you to effectively work from home.

1.Maintain a routine

Without discipline, it is difficult to stick to a routine while working from home.  Sleeping and waking up late is very obvious as “work from home” creates an impression of holiday in our mind. To not let lethargy take over and ruin your work, follow the routine you used to (follow) while going to office. Time taken to commute can be used to chill. You can also chalk out the most favorable routine to work effectively.

2.Tackle irritation

Going to the workplace changes our work environment. With the change of environment, our mind changes, and so our thoughts. During work from home, you can face a challenging situation that might leave you irritated. The very first can be that you cannot go somewhere to hangout with friends, or for a drink/ meal, especially during these times when we are practicing social distancing. This is a huge challenge for extroverts. Secondly, variation in routine and thirdly family problems. To tackle irritation,  stick to your routine, walk in your room, balcony, or terrace. Practice meditation and keep in mind the temporary nature of the situation.

3.Anxiety during work hour

Being isolated in a room with no colleague can make you feel disconnected from the world. Also, at the time of lockdown, it is obvious to feel anxious, as everything is uncertain at the moment. Not only isolation but continuous work pressure, and the compulsion to meet the deadline can create rather extreme stress. To counter this do proper planning, schedule and prioritize tasks, incorporate breaks in the schedule, talk to colleagues. Listen to the news only before and after work.

4.Get rid of frequent interruptions

Social media messages, cell phones, household chores, TV, kids, pets, etc. can create frequent interruptions in your work, which can leave you distracted for quite some time. Turning off the social media notifications, keeping the cell phone away, scheduling household chores, organizing things properly, creating a separate workstation can serve as possible solutions for these interruptions.

5.Specific meal time

Unlike office we don’t have a proper meal hour at home. Being your boss, you keep yourself so busy that you don’t even find a suitable time to eat. You also skip the meal if you have to cook yourself. There can be digestive disorders when meals are not consistent. To prevent this set eating time to enjoy your snacks and meal without any work pressure. Also, set an appropriate time to cook that doesn’t let you compromise with your work.

6.Irregular sleep pattern

When you work from home, it becomes hard to wind up the work quickly. You make yourself sleep-deprived by working for continuous hours.  Also, your work-life often encroach your personal life. You strive hard to find the balance between the two, and in turn, you comprise with your sleep.  It is repeatedly said to leave your work at the office, but keeping the office at home makes it difficult to part ways. A separate work station, proper work hour, prioritizing work, shutting the system off after you completed your day’s work is a quick fix to keep away insomnia. Don’t overburden yourself, take enough rest to be productive the next day

7.Workout routine

During the lockdown, it is not possible to go out to the gym. Also when working from home, we tend to keep ourselves indoors for long. Health is very important, and to uplift, you need to do simple indoor exercises. If you have no gyming equipment, you can go for freehand exercises, stretches, and yoga. A workout is inevitable for good health and mood refreshment.

8.Health check

Insomnia, back pain, bloating, dry eyes, etc are some health concerns when working. To have good health maintain a routine, feed on a healthy diet, take regular breaks, have a walk, eat timely, and correct your sitting postures. Stay away from negative news.

9.Healthy family life

Working at home, we generally misunderstand it as being with family. We often take family life for granted and give our family members less time, thinking they were near us throughout the day. This can create a communication gap. Family is a source of happiness. Spending time with family is a good way to destress yourself. To have a healthy family life spend quality time with your family members. Don’t carry the baggage of work while being with them. Create a work routine and discuss it with the family. The hours of work should be known so that there are no distractions from their side.

10.Overcome laziness

Being at home can make you feel lazy. It takes motivation to get out of bed.  In a lockdown scenario, it is much more difficult. To overcome laziness, stick to a routine, take every work challenge as an opportunity to succeed, don’t work from bed, have a separate workstation, do workouts, and have a specific eating routine.

11.Manage mood swings

In the office, you can have discussions about your project problems in hand. You can change your mood by going to the cafeteria, play, gym, or just a walk. In work from home situation, there is no physical change of environment. Even if you feel irritated at work, you have no colleague to crack stupid jokes and talk. Listening to music, quick dance, a cup of coffee, a virtual tour, a stand-up comedy, a call to your friend/family, walk with a pet, playing with kids, etc can help you manage your mood swings.

If you follow these 11 tips and tricks while working from home, you will surely work effectively. Doctors, scientists, national leaders are helping us fight this pandemic. We can help them and our world by staying indoors healthy and happy.