Fact. Working from home is not what it looks like on Instagram.
How are you? How are you holding up? Are you staying at home? Are you getting things
done?
We are in the period of a
worldwide crisis, but we are all trying to make the best of it. so, if you are still getting
things done amidst the chaos, cheers to you! If you’re hiding under the bed,
quaking and sipping hand sanitizers, I feel you, but get out of there.
This is not the best of
situations, but this is an excellent time to get things done. Business
shouldn’t stop for this; deadlines have to be met, and money will most definitely
not fall from the sky.
Or will it? Wait. Will it?
Seriously, tell me! I need that information, for a friend.
Ok, so, this blog post is for
the people who have a lot of things that need to be done. This is for you if you have been picking up your computer every morning since the beginning
of the lockdown, and then letting it hibernate while you double click on corona
memes and chuckle at videos of panic buyers who filled their carts with bread
and milk that will go bad in less than a week.
Ok. Moving on.
I’ve always worked from home.
In February, I literally spent all of my savings on setting up an office I
actually like to work in. Yet, I only use my office 3 days a week and work from
home every other day.
I’m a content developer, and
there’s always work. If it’s not for a client, it’s for my business or for my
personal brand. There is always work. So, believe me when I say that
I have mastered the art of working from home. LIES! I have not. No one has.
We’re all winging it. But, I know a few tips that will help you make sure you
get things done, every day of this crisis.
Here are some of them:
1. Wake up and smell the coffee
You don’t
actually have to drink coffee, but please don’t get out of bed at 10am because
you’re working from home. Don’t do that. Follow the same routines you did when
you had to go to the office. Wake up at the usual time, and not an hour later. Feel
free to use the commute time to catch up on social media gist or do some yoga,
or pray longer. Just don’t get out of bed late. Wake up and do the usual. Go to
work on time, even if the office is the kitchen table.
2. Create a workspace that isn’t close to your rest place
Not to be too
high school musical, but this will help you to get your head in
the game. Working from your bed is the same as sitting in the kitchen
when you’re on a fast. Create a workspace and move there whenever you want to
work. That way, your brain knows exactly what to do. Also, being too close to
your bed will help you find several reasons why you should “rest your
back” every 15 minutes.
3. Set ground rules at home
If you don’t
live at home, and I really hope for your sake that you don’t, then you need to
set some rules. You could be all ready to work hard and work well all day, but
then the people you live with may decide to play a game with water guns, and
not ask you first. Just like that, you’re roped in. call for a house meeting,
or leave everyone notes notifying them of your work time and pleading with them
to support your goal of actually getting work done.
PS: You may
need to include threats, and/or bribes.
4. Reset
Schedule breaks
so you can reset mentally. 2 or 3 breaks in one day is not wrong; you’ll get
back to your work with more creative ideas than when you left it. 30 minutes to
1 hour breaks are adequate. Take these breaks when you are beginning to feel
blocked, disconnected, or confused. Breaks are good. Take them.
5. Leave the office
This is for
the workaholics. You’re home and you don’t have to think about going home late,
so there is a justification for not stopping work at the end of the day. Don’t
do it. It’s going to seem to you like you’re wasting time when you shut down
your computer at 6pm; after all, you don’t have anything else to do. Lies! Have
a dedicated time for work, and after that time, shut down, and leave the “office”.
Go, do something else. Quit putting in “just one more hour.” Take a walk. Make a
meal from scratch. Learn to play the flute. Just do something else. You’ll be
surprised at how well this can get your creative juices flowing.
There’s a lot
more you can do to enable effective work in this period of the pandemic. Whatever
you do, take care of yourself.
Be well, in
body and in mind.
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