10 Tips to Work from Home Effectively

By Amna Asif  

Working from home was a concept that made you feel intrigued when you had to wake up every morning, dress up, and show up to work. The struggle of waking up made you feel envious of those who had home-based jobs.

But now that the pandemic has left you home-bound and has realized what you didn’t think was possible, it now shows that working from home is not easy after all. The struggle to get up from bed knowing that you don’t have to dress up before showing up online is real, and worse than the struggle of getting up and shoving breakfast down your throat in the morning haste. You know why? Because there has been a lot on our minds- we get anxious, we feel stuck at one place, we feel unproductive and to be very honest I have actually begun to feel so. April being stress awareness month and its coincidence with the pandemic and the widespread stress amongst people made me obliged to search for ways to work more efficiently from home, and at the same time, search for stress reducing techniques to reduce the stress related to the changes in the way you work, the stress of the uncertainty of the situation, and everything in between.

However, I sat down today to scroll through the internet to find out ways to effectively work from home. While tricks did work, some just left me wondering for ways to bring life to those ideas. Phew!

Here are 10 tips to get your mind up and running throughout the day:

#1. Don’t procrastinate

Wise words: Morning hours are the most productive ones

I know that you’re thinking that this has been and will be a universal problem. It is a mammoth task to get up from your bed and make the journey to your desktop. However, starting at the right time will get you to work your best! The morning sluggishness can eat up your motivation for the entire day! Pledge to get up on time and start your day with breakfast, tea or coffee, whatever suits you to get you on your wheels.

#2. Powerpack Your Mood with the Right Set of Clothes

The right set of clothes, even those that you wear to office, can help you to feel energized. Working in the clothes you wear to sleep can make you feel sluggish and sleepy throughout the day. Before you start your work in the morning, make sure to change your clothes. It will help to make you feel ready and set for work.

#3. Dedicate Yourself a Workstation at Home

With the million benefits that come with working from home, we must never forget that working on your bed while laying down on our bed won’t get our work done!

Get yourself a study table and a fancy table lamp with all the essential stationary by the side. Don’t work from your beanbags. The straight body posture will help you get in the mood to work.

 #4. Organize Your Space

After assigning a space for official work, don’t forget to keep the place neat and clean. Organize your work table, put your favorite cartoon character there to get an extra edge to your cool workstation. If you want you can use fairy light and fancy plants to decorate your workstation and take some Instagrammable pictures too; just saying!

 A messed-up space takes away the spark from your workstation and you don’t want to feel that way. I am 100 percent sure on that.

#5. Make A To-do List

Check your email, prioritize your work and jot them down. A checklist will help keep you focused and manage your time well. You will not end up dragging the same piece of work till after regular working hours.

Many online platforms such as Trello can help to list tasks, assign deadlines to them and visualize what you have to do and what you have done. The completed tasks list can make you feel accomplished, boosting your motivation and shattering the idea of procrastination.

#6. Take Regular Breaks

This is exclusive for all who cannot seem to get away from their laptop and are too engrossed into work. No. Stop doing that. Your brain cells need a break, get them what those brilliant cells deserve.

 It could be as simple as staring outside your window or watching a fun blooper. Many can choose to stretch too, it will help your muscles to stretch out and reduce the chances of having a body ache from the continuous work. This is also a tip to implement when you start working from office again. You mind needs breaks to help it relax too!

#7. Engage with the Team

Talk to your team. You must never isolate yourself from the entire team. Check in regularly with your colleagues, employees and bosses just as you would interact with them on a regular work day. It will help in reducing the sense of isolation and is really important for your mental well-being!

#8. Maintain Work-Life Balance

While working from home can lead you to extend your hours late into the night, try fixing the time for work. For this to happen, prioritizing tasks and completing them within the fixed time would help you to relax with your family, perhaps talk to an old acquaintance or friend.

It will help you in distracting yourself from the excessive media coverage regarding the COVID-19 in your free time. Yes, it is important to stay updated on the issue, but that doesn’t mean that you watch it excessively.

#9. No roomies allowed

Working from home is all about setting boundaries and following them religiously.

While you can catch a break in between and take a round around the house, don’t allow your kids, roommates or spouses to enter when you are working. Encourage them to leave when you are working so that you can focus and be more productive!

#10. Tune into Your Go-to Music

The greatest advantage of working from home is that you will get your own space to think and act. Your co-workers will not keep dropping off to your desk to distract you.

So, use this opportunity and listen to some music that keeps you motivated. No matter if it is a 90s rock song or a mashup.

So these are my tips for working from home and managing your time more efficiently. If you feel that you are stressed by the changes in your work life and need to talk about it, tele-therapy and counselling services can be of great help. At times, worrying about the future and the uncertainty of the situation can leave you feeling restless, unable to concentrate on your work. Don’t let that happen because it is only a downward spiral.

If you need to talk about your stress and you’re not sure if therapy is the answer, register for ReliveNow’s Free Virtual Clinic where you can talk to a mental health professional for 15-minutes. These free of charge sessions are aimed at helping people like you and others to cope up with the situation and face it head on! Stay healthy, stay safe.

Author Amna Asif