The coronavirus: 7 tips to be as productive as possible when working from home

The measures imposed by the government to contain the coronavirus are not tender. Shops have to close their doors, restaurants, and cafes disappear from the streets. Only strictly necessary movements are still allowed.

Many companies are forced to telework to prevent the virus from spreading. Working from home is becoming the new norm. The coming weeks will therefore be an unusual test for the teleworking future.

In 2019, only 22% of Belgian employees worked from home one or more days a week. A recent study by the University of Antwerp showed that now – at the time of the coronavirus – more than 50% of those surveyed work from home.

A lot of employees, therefore, have no experience with working remotely. As if this challenge weren’t big enough, some of us now have to get used to the idea that there are children in the house. The ideal is different, but this is simply the current reality.

The Pulse survey is a great way for companies, teams and individuals working from home. You can use it as an opportunity to improve how you collaborate with others in real-time on projects that are important both now but also down the road – without having any commute time or distractions during your workday.

Are you currently one of the many home workers? Then think about this: being able to do your work from home is an advantage. Many sectors do not have this advantage. Just think of our healthcare providers, doctors, and nurses, for example.

Of course, in order to enjoy this privilege to the fullest, you need to know how best to handle this situation without compromising your productivity.

The situation is just the way it is, and you can only make the best of it. That’s why we’re giving you some of our top tips for making the coming weeks a little more portable.

# 1 Honor your morning ritual

Crawling behind your desk in pajamas and a straight-out-of-bed haircut sounds very tempting, but you can still get away from this.

By showering, getting dressed, and having breakfast, you prepare yourself mentally for your workday. It’s like going to the office. This makes the distinction between relaxation and work clearer.

Also, don’t start later in the day than you normally would. Get up at the usual time and spend the time you otherwise use to get to work for a leisurely, generous breakfast.

If you stay longer, you will soon feel yourself in weekend mode and it will be more difficult to get into the workflow. The message is therefore to honor your morning ritual.

Tip: The real die-hards can use the time they normally use to commute to work for a long morning walk. That way, your New Year’s resolutions are not completely wasted.

# 2 Find the quietest spot in the house

Everyone has the same goal in the office. The current home situations are often different, which is why it is important to have a place where you can work quietly. Make sure your roommates understand that when you are in your place, you work.

Of course, this is easier said than done, because with children in the house it all gets a lot more complicated.

What you can do in this case is work with your partner to create a schedule for who is in charge and when so that both of you have the opportunity to focus on different times throughout the day.

# 3 Set up your workplace well : working from home

Of course, you want to work in the same way as you are used to at the office. Therefore, make sure you have the right resources available to do this.

Do you always work with a desktop? Then take your screen with you from the office. Do you get back pain from your office chair at home? Then kindly ask your boss if you can bring your office chair.

You will be amazed at how much a well-designed workplace can improve your productivity.

# 4 Take breaks with your fellow householders

Of course, you can not sit in that quiet spot forever. The other people in your house have not chosen this situation either.

Therefore, take short breaks with fun family activities. This way you can still get some quality time out of this anything but the ideal situation.

A round walk with the family, according to the latest rules still not banned. The fresh air will please everyone, and with a little luck, the little ones will need a good power nap after such a walk.

# 5 Use tools to collaborate : working from home

You don’t have to work without contact with colleagues for three weeks (or longer, who knows). Teamwork is still possible thanks to the many online solutions. For example, we at outreach way always work with the Troop Messenger. For example, we can send messages, call, or video chat, all from a distance.

Besides Troop Messenger, there are certainly a number of other meeting tools. Just think of Skype For Business, Google Hangouts, or Zoom. The latter also makes its pro accounts available to teachers and students free of charge. The withdrawal limit for free plans will also be suspended.

And then there’s also Skribblr, to keep a Pictionary break from afar. Who dared to say that teleworking was boring?

# 6 Stick to your predetermined working hours : working from home

Believe it or not; a common mistake homeworkers often make is working too much. Because you don’t have to commute to and from work, it can be difficult to consider the day to be over.

Our golden tip? Don’t make the days too long, and stick to the predetermined hours. Ultimately, it’s all about trying to stick to your normal routine.

# 7 Make a schedule, schedule, or to-do list in advance

A good plan will help you work too concentrated. Write down what you want to get done today, for example making a distinction between morning and afternoon.

By making a schedule you give your mind a grip. In addition, you create structure in this way, and you prevent private matters from creeping in between work. You will notice that this will automatically start to run smoother after a few days.

Finally, you don’t have to feel bad at all if you just plop on the sofa in the evening. As long as your to-do list is finished, you don’t have to worry or feel guilty.

Tip: if you are really diligent, you can make your schedule the day before, so your working day will get off to a quick start the next day.

Decision

The task that we as a population have been given is actually relatively simple: to stay indoors. Yet this is easier said than done, and such measures require a great deal of effort for many. The above tips should help you make your working days run smoothly.

The moral of the story? Stay indoors, work from home, and don’t forget: wash your hands!

If you don’t know how to stay with yourself at the weekend, you can take advantage of the situation to, for example, remove junk from your basement, pull weeds in the garden, or delve into fun hobbies that you have neglected for a while.

 

Also Read: Increase the Productivity of your Organization in 5 Steps