Tips to Help You Excel While Working From Home
Working from home comes with many pros, especially the flexibility of working from the comfort of your home. And amidst a pandemic, most people have adapted to this lifestyle to reduce the risk of contracting the virus. However, even with the convenience, one can miss the opportunity to be productive if one lacks to plan accordingly. To help you work efficiently, here are a few tips to guide you.
Ask For Feedback
Make it a habit to get feedback from your colleagues on how things are going. Any working environment needs feedback if there is to be coordination. In fact, apart from the annual evaluations that most companies do, getting feedback at the third and sixth-month marks is essential. It allows one to correct or address any issues early before they threaten one’s job. For instance, if you request a colleague to do a particular task, follow up and check the progress. This ensures everyone is doing what they ought to, and corrections are being made early to prevent any frustrations.
Create a Morning Routine
If you have worked in an office before, you had a routine in the morning to prepare yourself for the day. The same applies to you working from home. Create a morning routine that your brain will associate with getting ready to work. Set your alarm, then wake up and prepare as you would usually. You do not have to wear that tie or put on those heels. By simply changing from pajamas to other clothes, your day can be more productive. If you feel like applying make-up, do that as well. Eventually, your brain will adjust to this routine and allow you to be productive throughout your day.
Get To Know Your Coworkers
When work is incorporated into your home life, it gets quite confusing at first. It can also get lonely, especially when you want to discuss work matters with colleagues but there is no one next to you to talk to. To avoid this, make use of video technology and connect with your coworkers humanly and intentionally. It does not have to be work-related, especially if it is people you are close to.
And while talking on-screen is uncomfortable for most people, make an effort. In addition, have a firm body posture and speak confidently. Your body language and tone account for about 93% of how other people perceive you even before you finish a sentence. Let your coworkers see that you are interested in what they have to say by looking at the camera and being calm while video calling.
Decorate Your Home Office
We associate home with more comfort and less productivity, which can hinder your performance when you start working remotely. You need a space where you can disconnect from your home to be productive. It does not have to be an office, especially if you have a small space. Even a small corner in the living room will serve as a home office.
Get a comfortable desk and chair you can sit in for at least eight hours a day without body discomfort, and add a few office decorations. Every time you sit at that desk in the morning, your mind will automatically go into work mode, allowing you to be more productive.
Incorporate Exercise Into Your Day
Exercising is not only beneficial to your work performance but also to your personal life as well. It helps you stay fit and improve your mental health, especially when you are isolated. Even a 30-minute walk or jog can make your overall health improve.
Make use of the different technologies in the market to help with your fitness journey, too. The last two decades have seen a significant increase in wearable technology. Since 2017, U.S. adults have used nearly 77 million wearable devices for different functions, making it easier for you to find something. For instance, you can get a fitness tracker that lets you know whether you are exercising enough and if you should add more to your routine.
Even when maintaining the above tips, remember to keep a healthy work-life balance by getting enough sleep, eating well, and keeping up with your social life. That is how you will manage to stay productive when working remotely.
