Best Practices for Working from Home during Covid-19 Outbreak

Remote work is hard, but once you master it, it will add a lot of values. It reduces your expenses by 40-60 per cent. It makes work more efficient and helps you move faster. Remote work has become significantly relevant in this unprecedented moment where we are trying to combat the threat of COVID-19.

Based on our own journey and experience of working remotely, we have decided to help the community work remotely and to get you through at-home office situation. Below are the tips and advice.

Maximize Productivity

You must follow the schedule of your first routine from before you started working from home.

For example, If you needed to be at your desk at 9 a.m., don’t wake up at 8.45 a.m. Please spend some times before you start to wake yourself up. For examples, you should have a coffee or prepare your breakfast.

Creating an “office environment” is important, too. You can set up your workspace in a well-lit room or one with as much natural light as possible. Have a good chair. Stand up. Communicate, communicate, communicate by having a lot more meetings with your colleagues. 

Set Boundaries

When you live in your office, it’s easy to overwork.

It is crucial to log off when you’re supposed to. Resist the urge to come back to your computer after dinner. “Otherwise, the work-life bleeds into home life, physically and mentally.”

If possible, designate an area for work, as opposed to using your kitchen table or bed. It will help you to get into a better mental space.

Being approachable: You need to ensure that your colleagues can contact you. In this case, you may utilize Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Google Hangouts. 

Documentation: Remote teams can’t poke someone sitting next to clear doubts. However, they can always hit the search button. Documenting all processes, assumptions, guides and having the right naming convention helps to keep everyone on the same page.

What if my kids are at home, too?

This is the biggest challenge for parents. You need to be creative to handle your children. If your kids are inherently attracted to keyboards, mice, or anything that clicks. You must have things that are even more irresistible handy, like their favourite toys or cookies. Saying ‘No, don’t grab that’ just won’t cut it. If nothing works, give them the iPad.” Last but not least, don’t ever wake them up.

Avoid Isolation

Social distancing is not natural, primarily if you are used to a bustling office. You will struggle to try to stay sane. You can start to talk to someone on the phone at least once a day.

Scheduled no-agenda period: Try to break free from formal discussion. You can talk to your colleague about the current issues, how they are doing, and etc. The culture of the company is the people in it, this helps those people get together.

Stay Healthy

Your daily steps are tremendously decreased. Lethargy and weight gain can set in faster than you think. 

Stretch out a lot before, during, or after the working hours. If gyms go on lockdown, as they did in Asia, at-home workouts are the best option. You can consider rolling out a yoga mat or doing a 30-minute high intensity set via online exercise videos or mobile apps.

Other than that, being disciplined about your sleep-cycle schedule helps you sustain. Your body will recharge, and you will be ready to endure the next day. 

Embrace Unprecedented Times

The irritations of WFH are a small sacrifice in the grand scheme of things. Plus, now that you are not commuting, you have extra moments to spend time with your family or enjoying your hobbies- reading, writing, drawing and etc. 

You can compile a big to-do list, and as soon as you log off the day. Plan your schedule for tomorrow. Finally, working from home may bring the best out of you!


Credits:

Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

Photo by Luke Peters on Unsplash

Photo by Charles Deluvio on Unsplash