A year ago, offices of companies that offer services were left deserted as employees opted to work from home. Many employees and business owners started working from home for the first time in 2020 due to the coronavirus outbreak. One year into Covid-19, working from seems to be here to stay. Before the pandemic, Global Workplace Analytics estimated that 80% of employees want to work from home. The days of micro managing employees have sadly come to an end, and managing by results has become a new way.
Like anything in life working from home has its own pros. They are: You’ll be away from your office distractions such as coworkers banter, you will take breaks any time you need, you will be near to your children, and you will be spared the stress of commuting in bumper-to-bumper traffic at rush hour.
However, there are cons of working from home as well. They include the isolation and loneliness that comes with working away from your coworkers. Also, when you work from home you should expect distractions from children, work, neighbours, friends, and family members.
Here are some tips on how you can work on your own and still be productive:
1. Have a work time
Start your day at the same time as you would normally arrive in your workplace, and finish your day at that time. Also, let your team or line manager know that you have begun work for the day, this will show them that you can manage your own time.
And before thinking about ending for the day – communicate with them. Is there anything else you can do? Is there anything they need?
2. Use a planner
Get into the habit of using a calendar or planner. Write down and keep track of deadlines, appointments, and meetings.
There are many task management applications that can help you. Use them to organise tasks into manageable projects.
Calendar Apps you should consider using include:
- Google Calendar for a free option
- Any.do for staying organized
- Microsoft Outlook Calendar for businesses
- Apple Calendar for a free option for Apple users
- Thunderbird Lightning Calendar for Linux users
- Fantastical 2 for a paid option for Mac users
- 24me for managing multiple calendars
- TimeTree for collaborating
- Cozi for families
- My Study Life for students and educators
- Plus, connect your calendar to other apps you use
3. Take regular breaks
The benefits of taking brief movement breaks have been well-researched. Constant sitting—whether at your desk or the lecture hall—puts you at higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, depression, and obesity. Getting up from your chair to walk, stretch, or whatever activity you prefer can reduce the negative health effects.
4. Reach out to your colleagues and friends
Self isolating doesn’t mean you should not talk to your colleagues or friends on the phone. Research from the American Psychological Association has shown that being connected to others socially is crucial to both well-being and survival. So make sure you still keep up social interaction.
5. Prioritise
Accept that you cannot do everything in one day. It is just not possible. Prioritise your tasks and leave what you cannot do today for tomorrow.
