Due to the coronavirus outbreak, most employees have switched to remote working. What can be done to make such work effective and not be distracted by anything?
The year 2020 will go down in history as the year of the coronavirus outbreak, where many people did not leave their homes for weeks. Most companies decided to close their stationary offices and send their subordinates “to work remotely” if possible. This means that employees perform their duties from anywhere (usually from home). However, not everyone knows how to organize their work time to be really effective. So here are 10 rules for people working remotely
If you are going to work remotely, organize your new work place at the very beginning, i.e. create your own “home office” where you will be able to focus in peace. Working on the couch or in front of the TV with a laptop on your lap is definitely not a good idea and will not be effective. You don’t need to buy a desk, just a small table where you can put your computer and necessary documents. Thanks to this, everything you need will be in one place. The chair is also important. It should be comfortable, because we will spend several hours on it. This not only affects our comfort but also our health. The wrong position can cause problems with the spine
There is nothing worse than a constantly hanging computer. That is why we have to take care of efficient equipment, which will not turn off when we least expect and will not expose us to loss of files. Most people working remotely also use the Internet, so it is crucial that the connection is fast and not interrupted. Especially since many employers often videoconference with their employees.
An important piece of advice for people working remotely is to turn off everything that could distract you, such as the TV, radio, etc. The point is to be able to maximize your time and effort. The idea is to be able to concentrate as much as possible on your duties – then you can do them faster and minimize the risk of making mistakes
Nowadays, a phone is not just for making calls. We use it to browse social media, websites, watch videos, take pictures, record, play games, etc. Specialists from around the world call that more and more people can not imagine an hour not to look at the smartphone and check “what’s going on in the world”. Therefore, when working remotely, it is worth to make sure that the phone is located, for example, in the other room, so close enough to hear the call and far enough away that we do not want to walk around and glance at it every now and then. Thanks to this, we will not waste time on things that are unnecessary
One of the most frequently mentioned problems of people working remotely is the fact that their relatives are always talking and disturbing. Therefore, you need to discuss everything with them at the very beginning and set boundaries so that the family does not forget that remote work is still work, not sitting at home
Some people think that since they work from home, they might as well do it in their pajamas. Both yes and no. The point is not to dress up in dresses and suits. However, our attire has a huge impact on our psyche and mood. Therefore, sitting around in a robe won’t do us much good, and certainly won’t spur us to action
Write down what you have to do today, in what order, and stick to it as much as possible. Prioritize. As you know, doing chores around the house can make you lazy and tempted to put things off until later, while you drink another coffee or see what’s in the fridge
Working from home tempts you to take more frequent breaks. These, as we all know, are necessary. Therefore, it is a good idea to roughly plan when you will let your “head rest”. Then it is worth to go for a short walk, get some fresh air, exercise for a while or do something at home, such as washing the dishes. If we do not take care of our rest, we can quickly become discouraged with our duties
Another common problem is eating and snacking while working at home. Not only does this promote excess weight, but it also makes it easier to get distracted. On top of that, there’s the risk of equipment and documents getting dirty or flooded
Employers are often flexible about the working hours of people working remotely. Therefore, you can decide yourself when you start and finish your duties. However, it is best to do it during the hours we would be in the office. Starting work late is connected with wasting the whole day
