“If working remotely is such a great idea, why isn’t everyone doing it? I think it’s because we’ve been bred on the idea that work happens from 9 to 5, in offices and cubicles. It’s no wonder that most who are employed inside that model haven’t considered other options or resist the idea that it could be any different. But it can.”
Jason Fried
Co-existing with the Covid-19 pandemic for the past 2 years, remote working has by necessity become the new trend. Various industries had developed strategies to facilitate remote working much earlier, but it hasn’t always been popular.. Remote working banished the typical 9 – 5 work hours, sitting at a desk in an office.. Today, you might be working from home, which is the most popular way to work remotely, or any number of other locations that are not your office. Either way, you will have your own work space with just your PC and the internet to work with.
Although remote working became the norm by necessity, it brought many benefits.
No commuter stress: You are not an early bird anymore. You don’t have to wake up early as you did in the days when you were traveling to the office. You don’t have to endure annoying fellow commutersl, or face long traffic jams in the mornings and evenings.
Better work-life balance: You can manage many house chores while working. So you are able to maintain a better work-life balance than before.
Custom environment: You have your own bespokespace and inclusiveness, so no distractions. You can dress comfortably , no need for expensive office clothes.
Saves money: No commuter costs and no office clothes means big savings. I
Though there are many benefits to working from home, there is an inevitable adjustment to find the right balance and avoid distractions… So here are some tips for smart remote working that worked for me, ensuring a productive and happy work-life balance.
1. Maintain a definite start and end time.
By maintaining a set start and end time will make your WFH life easy. It is a common complaint that when WFH, people don’t have enough time to eat/sleep or do other work. Constructing your own work routine with a clear to-do list will help you to gain more productivity in both your work life and personal life. With a defined working time, you can do your work adhering to WFH procedures defined by your office, start on time and finish on time. Do not overdo it. So that you won’t miss any daily priorities at home. Create your own boundaries for work.
2. Take regular breaks in between.
Another very important tip is to have scheduled breaks in between your work. By doing so you won’t be bored or stressed unnecessarily. Also having scheduled breaks will help you to organise your meal times accordingly as well. So you won’t get hungry and distracted, strain your eyes or put pressure on your ,body, or mind.
3. Establish and agree your work environment.
When you are working from home, it is good to have your regular space which is only for you. Discourage interruptions from those you live with, house sharers, family members or even pets., Also, try to set up a backup power source and an internet connection to continue working with reduced interruptions.
4. Communication is the key to staying connected.
It is important for you to keep posting to your superiors or the team regarding what you are doing. Many companies now have introduced procedures and processes to get regular employee updates throughout the day/week.. For example, most IT companies working in an Agile environment do have daily/ weekly sync ups and retrospectives/one on one meetings, etc. Now there are many remote working platforms, to conduct meetings/ group chats/ project management tools to keep up with work updates. Not only related to work but also communication is important for a person when WFH. Unlike in-office days, now you are not often connected with your colleagues, so this can cause a disconnect leading to loneliness and isolation long term. So it is good if you can socialize -virtually or physically with teammates once in a while. But remember to use office communication streams to communicate office work. Limit using your personal mobile numbers.
“Go outside and find a human to interact with — ordering your coffee, running an errand, whatever. It keeps you sane.”
– Corey Wainwright
5. Pay attention to your health.
As you are working from home and it’s your own space, standards of grooming may slip.. But I recommend you maintain your appearance as well. Pay attention to your skin, body shape, and health at the same time. If you can’t go to a gym anymore, find workouts to do at home so that you can maintain fitness. Also, try to have a healthy diet and good sleep at least for 8hrs a day. Look after your physical and mental well-being.
6. Do your hobbies
Even if you are at home all day, you don’t have to work all the time. Make time for hobbies. If you don’t have one, start one. You can try gardening or growing pot plants/gaming/ netflixing/ playing musical instruments/reading or try a new sport. Set goals in your personal life as well as your professional life.
“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” Howard Thurman
The above tips helped me to stay more productive when working from home and feel more alive!. Also, having more time with my loved ones than before made me happier, as my work-life balance improved..
I’m sure these tips will help you to be productive at work, while staying at home.
Sandunika Moragoda
Business Analyst at Mitra Innovation
About the Author
At Mitra Group, we are driven by a team of visionary authors who bring depth and expertise to our digital innovation solutions. Our authors combine passion, knowledge, and creativity to shape the future of technology and business.
