10 Ways to Work Effectively While Working from Home

By Christine Angela Ilagan

Making both ends meet while working from home due to the threat of COVID19 can be so challenging particularly for women. Staying up too late, doing household chores, watching series, and spending too much time on social media are temptations hard to resist.

Numerous distractions and remote work challenges can hinder you to work effectively and maximize your productivity. With that, here are the list of things you can try to get things done.

1. Create a habit of planning ahead

Whatever work you have; it requires time management. Thus, taking time to plan things out is part of it.  Making it a habit to plan your to-do-list daily will help you work smarter, increase efficiency, and will improved quality of life.  

When scheduling your daily task, experts suggest you plan it at night instead of doing it in the morning. Planning out in the break of day will just consume almost all your time in the morning. Thinking out the things you need to do at night will help prepare your mind and set the mood for the next day. 

So, create a habit to plan and you’ll make the most of your time.

2. Do some Exercise

Studies have shown the many benefits of exercise not just for your well-being but also for work purposes. Exercise turns out to improve mood and lowers stress since it releases a feel-good hormone called endorphins which helps you feel better and reduce anxiety levels. Workout also helps improved ability to concentrate which can boost work performance.

 Get up earlier, stretch out a little, and do some work out even for thirty minutes daily. Try to figure out how you can move your body even at home. Running in place and doing household chores can be done in your preferred time.

3. Start your day early

Wake up early in the morning not only because this is a habit of highly-effective people according to some books, but because starting your day early gives you a head start to your day. Plus, imagine starting your day early with a sight of a beautiful sunrise. Right?

This game changer habit of being an early riser create discipline, help increase work effectivity and shoot up productivity. The problem only kicks in when you slept too late, giving you a hard time to wake up early the next day. This is why getting up early should also be accompanied by going to bed early and getting at least 7 hours of sleep every day.

4. Don’t work too much

Working all day and night more particularly without breaks can take a huge toll on your body. This even results to overwork. And overwork can even lead to burnout as research suggests. And of course, you don’t want that to happen.

So, stick to your time, find a balance, and get things done so you can enjoy your personal life even at home.

5. Keep a dedicated workplace

Though having a dedicated workspace can be an external get-up-and-go, it can still drive you to work productively. So, don’t jump right in to work right while wearing your pajamas. Set your normal routine just as how you prepare to work before this pandemic. Take a shower, put on comfortable clothes, or even wear an office attire to set the mood.

Managing own work spot can help you mentally separate work from home, sets your brain in the right mode, and can help you keep away from the daily distractions you might encounter remotely.

6. Avoid spending too much time on social media

Don’t get off course not because your boss and coworkers aren’t around.  This kind of action will badly affect your work performance as you won’t be able to accomplish task on time and will lead to procrastination. Remind yourself that you should be doing work.  To get things done, stop soaking too much on social media unless it’s work related. Just remember that letting unimportant things suck your energy won’t do you no good.

If it’s too hard to resist, do it during your breaktime or after finishing all task at hand.  You can also try using applications which can help you focus at work. There are tons of applications online which can help you get away from distractions.

7. Get the tools and applications you need

Having the right tools, high-speed WI-FI, good computer/laptop, and applications while you’re working from home will help you work efficiently.

Getting the essential tools and applications needed will make your work easier and will help you in the long run.

8. Manage time Wisely

Working at home can be daunting for women more particularly for mothers who juggles many tasks at home. Cooking, washing the dishes, doing the laundry, cleaning, and even teaching kids at home. Try to save household chores after work or during your break time. 

Maybe you can also hire someone else to help look out your kids and do household chores so you can thoroughly focus at work. Though hiring a housekeeper may be costly, in return, you’re giving someone else a source of income during these tough times.

9. Don’t forget to take a break

There are moments when you need to take a break.  Whether you call it “coffee break”, “tea break” or just plain break, it’s beneficial for you mentally and physically.

Truth is, prolonged sitting without taking breaks will lead to a sedentary lifestyle which can impose health threat.

So, to avoid the risk of sitting for long hours, take a five-minute walk. This will lessen the risk of certain cancers, obesity, heart disease and cardiovascular diseases.

You can also do some stretching, take a walk, watch videos for short while, grab a snack, or talk to your family members since having a casual conversation with a co-worker might not be applicable in a remote work setting.

10. Follow and stick to your work shift

One of the challenges of a work from home set up is being glued to computer even after working hours because you feel like you need to accomplish all the task which was given to you. So, it’s important to have in mind that work shouldn’t consume almost all your time. Keep in mind that working hard doesn’t mean working smart.

Staying glued to your desk trying to finish all the left-over task while neglecting other important things like exercise, resting, and spending quality time for the people you love can negatively affect not just your health but also your work performance.