Work from home was a dream come true for most of us. Until we were asked to stay at home- all the time. As the COVID-19 situation looks presently, it is the best option to do. Save yourself and hundreds of others from contracting the virus. Working from home may not be the ideal working scenario for most of us and honestly, there are times when we wish to go out. But, there are a lot of benefits to working from home. You can be in your pajamas, grab a coffee and start working in your bed. However, it can get boring. If you go out every day, meet new people, work with colleagues one-to-one, then WFH may get a little monotonous for you. Distracted zoom meetings, missed deadlines, and unavoidable daily chores can decrease your productivity. 

So, how to efficiently work from home? How to not slack on work? Honestly, pre-pandemic work from the home situation was completely different from what it is now. Social distancing, the constant fear of the virus, the WhatsApp group updates have made it difficult to keep work spirits high.

 But, don’t worry, you are definitely not alone. It is the story of every person right now. 

To end the misery of those of you asking “how to work from home efficiently?”, we have summed up some tips that will be of help.

Ready to dive in?

1. Wake up on time.

Your biggest enemy are those extra hours of sleep. Try to Sleep on time, set up an alarm and wake up as per your normal schedule. Avoid the temptation to press the snooze button. Plus, given the stressful situation, try to keep yourself positive. Wake up, take a shower, find time to meditate and exercise, cook your meals, and start working as you would do at your workplace.

2. Dedicate a proper workspace for yourself.

This one is really important. Though work from home gives you the liberty of working from your bed, beanbag, couch or wherever you want. But, do you have to do that? Obviously, no. Set a proper place for yourself-preferably your desk and keep proper work hours. This is really weird how people don’t think you are working while being at home. They will call you, stop by you, chat with you and at times, you can’t really say no. So, a good option is to set a proper time and place to keep off any distractions.

3. Make a To-Do List!

Be your own manager, structure your day well so that you don’t miss a deadline. It is a good practice to keep a note of things that you have to do. Start making a to-do list at the beginning of the day. Once you have accomplished a task, check it; it will give you a sense of achievement. We don’t know when this lockdown is going to end or when things will get back to normal. So, don’t be harsh on yourself-take one moment at a time. Set small tasks for yourself and that’s how you will be successful at the end of each day.

5. No more extra breaks.

You have to refrain from taking frequent and long breaks. Break the habit of going to the lobby or kitchen too often. Think of it as your proper office- take breaks only at dedicated hours. One of the biggest disadvantages of untimely breaks is the loss of productivity. Plus, if you “actually” work while being at home, you can get things done faster. So, take advantage of this phase while you can.

6. Stay in contact.

The greatest disadvantage of a distributed workplace is miscommunication. Set a proper time for everyday stand-ups. This way you and your colleagues will be on the same day. You can use Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts, Skype, Zoom, etc for daily scrum meetings.

7. Calendar control

Remember you are working from home because you have certain responsibilities and you are getting paid for that. So, stay focused and deliver your tasks on time. Avoid distractions, personal appointments, home chores, unscheduled breaks during your working hours. You have the luxury to stay at home but don’t abuse it. At no cost, you should compromise on professionalism.

8. No phone zone

The biggest intrusion in your work from home comes from your phone. Avoid using your social media while you are working, keep your phone in your bedroom unless you work there. Use your laptop to check your office emails or to attend meetings. 

Hopefully, you will benefit from these tips and manage your rogue schedules.

So, What’s your situation like? Are you enjoying your time at home or bored to death? Do let us know in the comments.