The new normal is definitely quite new and unfamiliar to us, even now. Becoming accustomed to a lifestyle takes time and adjusting to this new normal is difficult for every one of us. Adapting to change is difficult and the arrival of a pandemic has sent everyone in a whirlwind. A lifestyle that emphasizes avoiding physical contact, staying connected virtually, and self-isolating in desperate times is a lifestyle no one imagined adopting. From parents to students to employees, a lot of lives have changed and transformed. Ever since Covid-19 took over the world.
Businesses have shut down temporarily and companies have employed a strict ‘work from home’ rule which allows employees to operate and work in isolation from home. This is the new normal a lot of us, part-time students and full-time employees have to adjust to, and to say it’s easy is an understatement.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re working on your own schedule or have a strict routine to follow, staying productive all the time is not easy; and that’s fine. You’re not alone because separating your work life and personal life at home in crisis is tough for everyone.
Not only do you face numerous distractions, but your efficiency, productivity, and performance takes a huge hit. Your mental health and physical health suffer in silence and there’s absolutely no consistency. While you may wing it on some days, you will face an all-time low on other days working from home.
Starting what you finished seems like a long challenge and catching up with your deadlines becomes almost impossible. However, we’ve come up with a list of ways to help you fight the Monday blues every week and boost your productivity working from home. As hard as it is to adopt a new lifestyle change, it’s 10 times harder to feel a sense of accomplishment when you’re working from home. Let’s take a look at some of the changes you can make to make working from home more productive!
Create A Schedule and Follow It
For you to feel productive and manage your tasks efficiently, you need to feel a sense of time. It’s easy to lose track of time when you don’t know when to stop. Not only does creating a work schedule help you track daily tasks and activities, but it adds structure to your day. You’re more than motivated to finish a task in a specified time frame without slacking off. It’s easy to forget about your office work timings while working from home.
To stay on top of your game and achieve daily goals, you must prioritize work hours. Losing sense of time is real and the more you do it, the more stressed you become. Wake up at 8 am, get fresh, dress up, have a good breakfast meal, read the news, and get started on your day. Becoming a professional and remaining professional at home needs practice, so until it becomes a habit keep doing it. Avoid over-working by sticking to the schedule strictly.
Breaks are important too
You’re a human, not a machine. While you may be up for working for 5 hours straight, your body and mind will tell you it’s not possible to remain productive and motivated in those full 5 hours. By taking breaks regularly you’re doing yourself a favor. A 15 to 30 minutes break is sufficient enough to recharge and get back into work mode.
Do anything that takes your mind off the edge during the break. Find an activity that calms and refreshes you. You can either just lounge around and relax or take a power nap, exercise, do yoga, meditate, walk or read. Make sure to take enough time for your brain to recover from the stress and pressure of working for hours.
Boundaries are necessary
It’s hard to distinguish your work life and personal life while working from home. Either one seems to interfere with the other on many different levels. Your personal life seamlessly begins to blend in with your work life and soon enough you find yourself in a huge mess you cannot handle.
It’s easy to feel out of place in such times. So this is where you draw a big fat bold line. Draw a line between your work life and home life and make an effort to keep the two separate. Your work hours should strictly be work hours. Avoid making plans with your friends and family during this time. They should also understand that you shouldn’t be disturbed during your office hours.
Whether it’s a doorbell or your home phone ringing, it’s not your concern when you’re at work’ unless you’re expecting someone/something. Likewise, when your office hours are over, stop worrying about work and enjoy the rest of the day with your friends or family. Setting boundaries and set of ground rules are important before you begin your day.
Stay Connected Virtually
Isolation lowers productivity and motivation. No physical contact with anyone will bore you and numb you out. In times of crisis, it’s important to stay connected. Make a habit of catching up with your colleagues, bosses, and clients. Work can get super boring If there is no human interaction involved.
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Celebrate Small Wins
Celebrating your small wins and victories is important to motivate you to achieve more. Getting work done at home, amidst a hundred distractions is a big deal. Acknowledge your small accomplishments and reflect on these wins to stay positive and motivated to perform better.
To Conclude
A healthy work-life balance in such a crisis is important to maintain. But it requires a lot of focus, effort, and discipline to reach that point. It’s particularly difficult to put in all your focus and motivation in such dreadful times but little by little, with practice and a positive mindset you can easily achieve it. Follow and practice these tips every day to achieve a positive work-life balance and stay productive while working from home!
