The recent pandemic has led to many people being quarantined. As such, businesses and offices were moved home to avoid further spread of the pandemic.
People who work from home include freelance writers, web designers, editors, virtual assistants, online tutors, and coders.
Whether you are working from home due to the pandemic, or you have always been a remote worker, there are some guidelines and measures that should help you become productive at home. Read on to learn more about these tips.
Maintain Regular Hours
It is important that you maintain regular working hours and stick to them. One of the main problems find with working at home is being disciplined and sticking to your working schedule.
Get a Routine
Establish a morning or any other routine that prepares you for work. If you are the nine-to-five person, then it will be a morning routine that either starts with taking breakfast, meditation, exercise, or yoga. Whatever your routine is – establish it as it prepares your mind for work.
Set Boundaries for People You Live With
Let the people you live with know what you expect of them during your work time. If children are at home or come back from school, they should know their chores, like doing dishes, walking the dog, dog laundry, and doing their school work.
Take Breaks
Remote work can have you glued to your laptop the whole day, which can be detrimental to your health and work. Also, the work you produce might be substandard if you don’t give your brain time to relax and refocus.
Change Your Work Environment
For a twist, you can decide to work from a restaurant, by the lake, in a park, or any place of choice as long as it is out of home. You need to get light, breathe a different type of weather and generally have a different touch to your working environment.
Designate a Working Area
Most people that are working at home might not find this important since you have the freedom to work in bed, in your dining area, balcony or any area of choice.
However, this will affect your back and general health with time. You need an office setting with a comfortable cushioned chair and desk for your comfort.
Social Life
Since you are always at home with your family, you might find it difficult to move away just to meet friends or attend functions. This is especially difficult for introverts who like their space and would rather use that “free” time to watch a movie or listen to music.
Use VPN
It is important to learn about using a VPN especially when in public places, like libraries, airports, and cafes. Besides, some organizations have their own VPN to be used by off-site workers in case they need to access some internal info and websites.
Ask for What You Need
Don’t fear to ask your employers for what you need to help you work better at home. This applies to people that have been forced to work remotely due to the pandemic.
Attend Meetings
Working from home involves attending virtual meetings, endeavor to attend them and voice your concerns or contributions. Sometimes your company can set up audio or video conference calls, ensure people get to know that you attended.
Take Sick Days
If you are sick, take sick days and get back in shape before you resume work. This is especially hard for freelancers with a mentality that “time is money”. If you look at it that way, you’ll want to work even through your sickness, but it is like cheating yourself.
It is better for you to take time off to recover and return rejuvenated and energized so you are at your most productive self.
Conclusion
Working remotely is many people’s dream. The thought of working in your bedroom in your pajamas feels like the ultimate deal. But, before you jump all in, remote work must be taken seriously.
