30 Mar How to have a Productive Work from Home Experience
Because of the quarantine, there is an increased demand for flexible work or work-from-home setups. However, work from home can still produce the same level of output as if you were in the office. Check out these finely-tuned tips we’ve prepared for you for the ultimate work from home experience.
1. Set a No-Distraction Zone
Keep your workspace your productive zone. Let it be your hustle zone where anyone can’t lay a finger on you when you’re currently performing your job for the day. Put on noise-cancelling headphones and hang a “Do not Disturb” sign on the door. Maintain the same work hours as your office to establish a routine. Set aside personal errands at the end of the day, and focus first on what is expected of you to accomplish within the day.
2. Nurture Your Mental Health
In these stressful times, lots of negativities and worrisome headlines just keep on popping out of everywhere. Don’t forget to make some time to have fun with your team and share a little bit of slacking during break time and/or appreciate the team’s effort for the day. Schedule some online calls for wellness checks within your teammates to let them express their feelings and sentiments. Take 5 minute breaks every hour to take a break, breathe deeply for 5 minutes, and calm your senses, before going back to work.
3. Improve Your Skills Online
Whenever there is some extra time left in your work shift, this is the time to make use of that opportunity to improve on your skills. Step up and take the initiative to improve your performance or skill set by upgrading it with online classes. There are so many avenues available on the internet that could amplify your skill set by getting a certification or increasing your proficiency, if you want to upgrade your knowledge in your field.
4. Communication is Key
A well-thought method of communication is required and it is best to set a platform that everyone can be comfortable with. Businesses also need to communicate clearly to their employees what results they expect to see so that workers know what they have to do. Create a detailed task flow for each team member and schedule some online meetings that will also allow for a more casual flow of ideas in between team members.
5. Create a Workflow Process Supporting the Policy
Managing your team is manageable if proper and strict workflow is being implemented. This will make sure that the resources available given that they’re provided or in some way, supported by the company will be put into good use.
The usual challenges of work from home situations are less productivity caused by distractions at home, poor internet connectivity for some workers’ location, decreased morale due to lessening interaction, and accountability for tasks assigned for each person. These are all manageable with online tools such as Asana, Trello for tasks management, Skype or Zoom for online meetings, and Google Hangouts for chatting with team members. Encourage each other to express their thoughts, engage in conversation, and even lighten the situation by doing online ice breakers. Managing a remote team is certainly challenging, but when done right, productivity bears fruit.
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