Tips For Working From Home For the First Time

Working from home is an idea of working independently and being your boss! Given the present lockdown situation, it is a work necessity forced upon many of us. Few are seasoned players in this style of working and many of us are novice beginners on this pitch.

As the whole world is under lockdown given the global pandemic emergency, most IT companies have issued a mandatory work-from-home policy for all employees to contain the spread of the deadly coronavirus ( as per the government guidelines).

Working from home is becoming the latest trend in the market and almost every company is eager to implement this work structure to avoid additional costs incurred on infrastructure, commuting and cafeterias.

Working from home is less tiring as it reduces the need for exhaustive travelling and you get more time to spend with family, invest time in your hobbies and exercise.

This is my first time working from home and I am loving every bit of it! However, not everything that shines is gold. There are drawbacks to weighing up against the obvious benefits, and working from home is not as fun as it looks.

If this is your first time working from home, then use these tips and major key strategies which will help you smoothly transition into this new work reality:

Working from Home Smart Hacks for Newbies

1. Manage your Morning Routine

Manage your morning schedule first thing, to begin with, while working from home. Always keep the same routine as you would have in the office to avoid the lethargy and sluggishness of being in home comfort.

Either way, it won’t be ethical or productive to attend your morning meeting from your bed in a sleepy manner. To have a productive work-from-home day, take a shower right after you wake up and change your night clothes. It is the most important part of your routine which will make you feel super refreshed and active toward work.

Once you are done with the shower, treat yourself to a scrumptious breakfast to kick start your work journey with enthusiasm and energy to battle out the work challenges.

In a nutshell, keep a routine for official work as you would have otherwise during office time to get more benefits out of working from home for the first time.

2. Fix a Designated Work station

Selecting a designated place for working from home is one of the essential parts of a productive work experience to feel comfortable and professional while working.

Make sure you have a proper table and chair seating arrangement to work as you do in an office setup, perfect lighting is there in the work area, and you have a storage section to keep your work-related documents and devices nearby safe.

The catch here is to always have a designated work space at home with a stable internet connection. A well-ventilated, comfortable, peaceful office space will motivate you to work better and be productive while working from home.

3. Make Sure that you have a Proper Internet Connection

Having a stable internet connection is an absolute necessity while working from home, as a weak network will have you going on and off during a meeting. It is a fact that there are certain locations in the house with good connectivity for devices that catch the internet fast. So, discover the location of your house with the highest speed on the internet and try to set up your workspace in the closest proximity to that point.

Also, make sure to request your family members, roommate, and kids to not hog your WiFi bandwidth during work hours.

So, a proper internet connection is a must to deliver better performance and keep in touch with your employees and colleague while working from home.

4. Set Physical Boundaries

To have a productive work from home, notify your family members in advance of your unavailability during work hours. As chances of getting distracted at home are many because of household responsibilities.

Additionally, do not keep getting involved in irrelevant conversations with friends and family nearby, if you want to stay focused on work. Always try to set some physical boundaries to avoid becoming overwhelmed by being at home or inefficient while working from home.

5. Scheduled Small Breaks from Work

Short breaks from work provide you relief from time to time and keep you energetic so that you do not feel tired during work from home. You can indulge in some light stretching exercises, take a quick nap or a tea/ coffee break, complete some household work, etc. in those scheduled breaks.

Most of the time people stay so occupied with work that they forget to take a short break, but it is not at all advisable. Taking these short breaks will help you to stay focused, be productive, and less tired during work.

It is a proven fact that mini-breaks help you stay focused for the entire day by refreshing your energy levels. Hence, taking short breaks is highly recommended for staying active and moving your body to keep your energy levels up while working from home.

6. Stay Connected with your Colleagues

To stay updated with your work-related information, it's necessary to be in regular touch with your colleagues/ Team Leaders for a smooth work experience at home.

With the help of remote working tools applications like Slack, Zoom, Skype for business, Microsoft Teams, etc. you can easily communicate with your team members and stay connected while working from home.

Lastly, don’t be shy about getting on the call. Nothing can beat the experience of understanding a task over a call and that is what will make you connect with your colleagues.

7. Avoid Distractions while Working from Home

When working from home, there are many distractions to keep yourself away from like kids, tv, and zillions of other household responsibilities. Make sure you get rid of such distractions before starting your work duties.

Below are some of the tips to avoid distractions while working from home-

• Take short breaks from time to time when you are getting tired.
• Try to stay away from your mobile phone and block online notifications.
• Set physical boundaries, so that you won’t get distracted by anyone.
• Play some background music to avoid distractions and to get relaxed while working.
• Always try to work alongside productive people to improve your focus.
• Create an office environment in your home to stay focused.

8. Stay away from your Mobile Phone

Always stay away from your phone because it is one of the major deal-breakers while working from home. Try to control the urge to constantly look at your mobile phone by keeping it away from your work desk.

By keeping your phone at bay, you can save a lot of time as various social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Instagram, etc can distract your focus from work!

So, it is advisable to stay away from your phone and check only when necessary. Otherwise, fix a time to check your notifications and spend some time on your phone.

9. Follow the same Routine for the Next Day

Following the same schedule, every day can keep you motivated for delivering regular results while working from home, it will keep you on track and in the right direction.

It is necessary to work according to a plan. otherwise, you will lose your vision and might get lost. Following a routine will also help you to stay focused during these work-from-home schedules.

Conclusion

Working from home has several advantages and positive effects on the mind of employees, provided they are doing it in the right environment and schedules. They feel relaxed and free while working from home with a cup of coffee, snacks, and a lovely family nearby. “Work from home” helps boost the happiness of employees which is an added advantage for the employer as well.

Hope these tips for first-timers prove beneficial in improving their productivity and give them a hassle-free work experience while working from home.