The entire world is in a lockdown due to the pandemic of the novel coronavirus COVID-19. A disease that came suddenly and paralyzed all corners of life. Many governments forced national lockdowns. And accordingly, a lot of people lost their jobs in the meantime and have no sources of income whatsoever. Only those whose jobs are considered essential jobs are allowed to go to work. For example, in the US; essential workers are health care workers, law enforcement, and first responders. Other non-essential workers are lucky that they get to have their jobs accomplished while they’re staying at home.
For many employees, working from home is something new they’ve never experienced before. And due to the lack of experience, a ton of problems may arise. These problems will definitely affect their personal lives within their relationships and families. We’re all already stressed enough because of the COVID-19 virus; thus, we shouldn’t add up work stress to the equation.
Tips for Working While Staying at Home:
1. Create Your Own Space
Choose a place or a room or a part of a room in your house that can be easily organized and would give you a sense of achievement. When working from home, especially for extended periods of time, there needs to be someplace that you know you can get things done when you work in it. A lot of people recommended that you only specify one place to work and not to randomly work anywhere. This will reduce the work stress and not be reminded of work in every room of your own house. Pretend that you’re going to your own office and mentally prepare yourself to get productive in the same exact place every day.
2. Remaining Productive
When it comes to working while staying at home, you are your own worst enemy. Every single thing can be a distraction, and getting things done is never this challenging. Somehow, when you work from home, the working hours seem to get fewer, and actually being productive is a struggle. Therefore, experts in working from home advise that you take off your PJs and put on some nicer and more formal pieces of clothes. Try to replicate your working office into your home office as much as possible. Make sure to organize and structure your day exactly as you would at work; this includes waking up early, taking lunch breaks, and singing off when the working hours are done. Your surroundings should give you a feeling of achievement; meaning there should be no distractions such as TVs, kids, or kitchen pots.
3. Speak Out Your Expectations with Anyone Who’s Home with You
When working while staying at home, it is most likely that you will have company. Whether it’s your roommates, family, friends, or spouses, make sure to let them know that you’re working from home. Ask them to respect your space throughout your working hours. Plus, make sure you’re all happy with your working spaces if more than one person is working with you.
4. Take Care of Yourself
A lot of ergonomic issues might arise when you work from home. Therefore, always make sure to do some physical activities to keep your body active. Add some posture activities or practices to your daily routine to sustain a decent healthy posture. Take a break from the screen every once in a while, for your eyes. And try to practice measures that will prevent you from having a burnout.
