Working from home? Read this.

As the coronavirus spreads heavily across the globe, we find ourselves closer to our closets than laptops/desktops. In the office, it’s easy to feel connected to your team. If you have a question or comment, you can walk to someone’s desk and ask. Working remotely, you can’t walk to someone’s desk, but you can just as easily connect with someone and feel the same. As the world evolves towards having productivity via remote work, here are a few tips that will help you stay motivated, connected and productive at work. 

Tip 1#: Create a dedicated workspace with minimized distractions

You need a space of your own that’s comfortable, properly equipped, and only used for work. That way, when you “go to work,” your brain kicks into gear, shutting off distractions and honing in on the tasks at hand.

·        Get a proper desk & chair to maintain the correct angle between your eyes & screen while you keep your backbone straight.

·        Have a proper functioning pair of earphones or headsets to make sure you are clearly audible to your team and can listen efficiently too.

·        If you do a lot of video conferencing, consider turning your desk so your back is to the wall. That way your background will look professional when you’re talking to prospects — even if the room’s a mess.

Tip 2#: Rely on Apps that Facilitate Working from Home

Be aware, with more people working from home, your internet service may struggle to keep up. It’s a good idea to create a back-up plan.

• WebEx for Meetings (You can download Cisco WebEx extension)
• Zoom for video conferencing
• Slack for messaging (Put the app on your computer and your phone.)
• Jira  for assignment tracking
• Wiki for doc sharing
• If you have a single monitor and always turn on Do Not Disturb, make sure you download the Muzzle App. It automatically silences notifications once you share your screen on Zoom or WebEx

Tip 3#: Manage Your Work-from-Home Lifestyle

Working from home, you will find it harder to draw the line between work and home life. It’s important to clearly divide your work time from your free time

·        Get fresh air. It’s easy to roll out of bed and get online but you’ll start to regret it and feel unhealthy. You have all of that commute time back. Put it to good use!

·        Don’t let home get in the way of WFH. Keep the TV off, tell significant others or roommates that you’re not available during “work hours,” etc.

·        If you’re in a role that provides you some downtime in between calls, etc., consider helping your co-workers, taking a course on Udemy or doing some office yoga for stress relief. 

Note: I read the above points on some blog and felt it was worth making little changes and sharing.