Ever since the pandemic hit its peak in 2020, many people have converted their home into their very own office or work space. Staying productive while working remotely, however, can be challenging since there are plenty of distractions, personal obligations, and suboptimal working conditions at home. To ensure these obstacles don’t get in the way, we’ve compiled three productivity-boosting tips you should follow.
Set a healthy routine before work
Act like you’re still going to your actual office. Prepare for work like you would normally do under pre-pandemic circumstances when you still had to commute to work. With the extra time you’ve gained, you can also make time to exercise before sitting in front of your computer. Health experts claim that adding exercise to your routine can boost your energy levels and alertness, and also reduce stress and fatigue.
Here are some basic exercises you can do before work:
- Jumping jacks
- Burpees
- Lunges
- Squats
- Plank
- Push-ups
Remember to first consult with your healthcare provider on the best exercises for you especially if you have existing health concerns.
Plan ahead
Create and follow through with your to-do list. Creating a to-do list can help you from fumbling on which tasks to do first. Learn to prioritize if there’s a lot of tasks at hand. You can sort out tasks based on urgency and the tasks’ level of difficulty.
It’s also best to stick to your regular office hours. Doing this lets your body and mind work at your normal pace. Following your usual work schedule makes it easy to plan your tasks and coordinate with other team members during meetings. It also enables you to set a boundary for your work life and your personal life, which is absolutely essential for avoiding added stress.
Separate work and personal life
Some people who have been working from home for some time may have already realized that separating work from personal life can be tricky. Not having that balance may result in burnout that can greatly affect productivity. According to the World Health Organization, burnout is caused by unmanaged stress at work which can lead to a person’s exhaustion, feelings of negativity and distancing at work, and lessened effectiveness to perform. There are simple things you can do to prevent this and help strike a balance between your work and personal life.
You can start by creating a dedicated workspace at home, no matter how small it is. Have all your office stuff within reach like your handy water tumbler, set of pens and notepad, laptop charger, and the like. It will also be best to inform the people you live with not to disturb you, unless it’s an emergency, during work hours so you can focus on your tasks.
When work is done, close all of your work-related gadgets and give yourself some time rest. Leave your workstation so you won't be tempted to do that "one last thing" which you can probably do tomorrow. You should work when it’s time to work, and relax when it’s time to rest. This will help you feel fully energized and recharged for the next day’s task.
Make the most of technology
Not being able to discuss important matters with your colleagues in person can be quite challenging. However, there are several online tools that can help you solve this in just a few clicks.
For your meetings, there are several conferencing apps you can choose from like Zoom that offers free and paid options for online audio and video calls. It’s easy to use and has many features like screen-sharing. This is essential when you’re presenting slides with data that needs to be shared with everyone in the call. Its Schedule feature also lets you seamlessly schedule online meetings and link them to your own calendar account. And if you’re just casually catching up with your coworkers, Zoom also has fun features like customizable backgrounds and video filters.
You can also use office productivity platforms that enable several individuals to work on a certain document at the same time. You and your team can explore Microsoft Office 365’s online collaboration feature. It has all the familiar Office apps like Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and more. But unlike the offline versions of these programs, Office 365 allows you to share your files only to authorized people in your company. This lets your team finish tasks efficiently, allowing you to do more and be productive.
In need of more tips to improve your productivity while working at home? Contact our IT experts today.