Since the world entered a near-standstill at the beginning of 2020, many entrepreneurs and employees were forced to embrace a new way of working. Now, many workers have demonstrated their ability to work from home and still be productive. Here is how you can get to grips with remote working…
Set Up a Great Home Office
Part of being productive whilst working from home involves having a specific space where you can focus. This can either be a room in your house or even a corner in an existing area.
Try to look for a place with natural light if you enjoy working during the day. Set aside a small space for gadgets that you might need and keep the area free of clutter for optimal work conditions.
Establish a Routine
One of the biggest mistakes that people make when they begin working from home is that they don’t bother establishing a routine. Even though you don’t have to go into the office, make sure you wake up with plenty of time to get ready.
Don’t set your alarm right before you need to clock on. Wake up, shower, and prepare yourself a nutritious breakfast. It’s always good to change into normal clothes and schedule your breaks for the day.
Spruce Up on Your Tech Skills
Having to get to grips with the technological side of things has been more difficult for some workers than for others. In the office, you could simply tap on your colleague’s shoulder and ask for some advice, or even pop in to ask the IT department for help.
Asking for assistance via e-mail is tricky as it can stifle your productivity and delay your ability to deliver work. Instead, make use of online resources and how-to guides that are online. For example, if you need help working with google docs, click here.
Take Breaks and Get Outside
Research has found that those who work from home end up working more than employees who are based in offices. Remote employees may be more productive but taking regular breaks is an imperative part of increasing efficiency.
It’s easier to escape the office and take your break when you aren’t working from home. However, these lines can often be blurred as a remote worker. Try to stick to your designated break times and get outside to enjoy the fresh air.
Keep in Touch with Colleagues
Make sure to keep in regular contact with your colleagues. Just because you aren’t physically close, doesn’t mean that your communication should be jeopardized.
Try to keep each other in the loop with instant messaging services. You could also schedule daily meetings to fill each other in on what’s going on.
The coronavirus pandemic has undoubtedly transformed the way companies approach remote working. Although business owners were reluctant to let their employees work from home because they were afraid that this would cause a downturn in productivity, we should now embrace this as part of our new normality.