5 Things To Do When Working From Home

Working in our pajamas, not having to commute to work, and spending more time at home has been something that most of us have gotten accustomed to these past few days. Most companies are encouraging their employees to work from home in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak and it is our duty to ensure that we do our bit to contain the spread of the virus. Staying at home is needed now more than ever and not all of us are used to working from home. Working from home has a lot of benefits but it might take some getting used to. We’re here to make it easier for you by listing down the 5 things that will help you be more productive from the comfort of your home.

Communication is the key

The most important thing when working from home is to ensure that your team is on the same page and everyone is clear about the tasks at hand and what needs to be prioritized. Keeping an open line of communication with your manager and team is vital for the smooth running of your day to day tasks. Get on a call or maintain an email loop to keep each other updated on what each one is working on. It’s always good to be available when your team wants to reach out to you. Communication is the key to developing an effective work from home ethic.

Use Technology to stay on top of your game

There is no shortage of tools to help you stay on top of your game even when you’re working from home. In fact, they will make your work easier and help you to keep a better track of things. 

Slack: Slack is a communication tool suited for remote work. It lets you drop direct messages, files, and create a channel for your department. It is easier than sending emails and lets you contact your team with ease.

Trello: Trello helps you keep track of what you’re supposed to be working on and keep checklists for yourself. It also lets you keep track of what the team is working on and allows the entire team to work in sync.

Zoom: Zoom is a popular video conferencing app with features that allow you to share the screen and content and also record the sessions. It has made video conferencing easily accessible and you can join in through your laptop, phone, or tablet. 

There are a variety of tools and software available to make working from home a piece of cake!

Maintain transparency

Maintain transparency by sharing a daily report with your teammates to help them know what you’re working on. It’s a great way to ensure that your team knows you’re not taking undue advantage of working from home and it also helps you document your progress.

Upskill

Utilize the time and energy saved by staying at home to widen your skillset. Now is the ideal time to invest in some online learning to upskill and hasten your career growth. With the growing competition, it is necessary to add useful skills up your sleeve to give you that edge over your peers. Be it data science or emerging technologies like Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence, or Cloud Computing, they’ll help you on your way to the top and now is the best time to do it!

Keep distractions at bay

When working from home distractions are plenty. Maybe you feel like catching up on your beauty sleep in the mornings (after all, you don’t have to make the tedious journey to work), or get some chores done in between or simply keep an eye on your kids. It isn’t easy and sometimes it’s possible to get carried away. It’s important to set boundaries if you wish to be productive and maintain the work-life balance. It doesn’t mean that you’re not allowed to take breaks. Breaks are very much needed but make sure you know when to cut them short and get back to work.

Once you set up a schedule and get settled in, working from home can be quite fun! You get some much needed family time or even some time for yourself. It’s the best time to indulge yourself and work on building yourself up. Stay safe. Stay positive.