This Is How You Work From Home Like A Pro
Due to global health concerns, most businesses are encouraging their employees to work remotely from the comfort of their homes. Millions of people are experiencing a drastic change in their daily routines and work styles due to COVID-19. This change is leading many of us to work from home for the first time.
We have to make huge adjustments when it comes to working remotely from the comfort of our homes. There are numerous pros and cons to this style of working, outside just our current global situation. Some positives include that it saves time on a commute and enables us to spend more time with family. But many of the challenges, such as loneliness, struggling to stay connected, lack of productivity, and much more significantly affect us.
When you are relegated to working from the comfort of your home, you need to be just as productive as you are in the office. To do so, we have some top tips to help you to maintain confidentiality, limit distractions, and meet all the problems like a pro, no matter where you are working. To start, let’s consider what working from home looks like.
What Does it Mean to Work from Home?
Working remotely started as a trend at tech startups, as it helps them to lure top talent into their ranks, and over the years has become a perk for employees across all job sectors. But do you know what it means to work from home?
Working from home is a style of employment that enables individuals to work remotely from the place of their choice. It provides them with more convenience and flexibility. Usually, working from home is not limited to being in your home; rather, many remote workers prefer to work from different places such as coffee shops, libraries, and coworking spaces. They just need an internet connection and a device to complete their work. Of course, staying at home is our only option right now, so things are a little different.
The advent of the latest technology has paved the way for an increasing number of people to work remotely. U.S. Census data shows that more than 5.2% of U.S. workers completely worked at home in 2017, accounting for more than 8 million people. This number will continue to increase.
In addition to all the positives of working at home, there are many complications that many people face. Especially if you are not used to working from home, but have now found yourself needing to because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it can be challenging to adjust. With these tips, you’ll have a successful transition and soon be working from home like a pro.
Tips to Work from Home Like a Pro
COVID-19 has shocked everyone around the globe. Many organizations are encouraging or requiring their employees to work from home to slow the spread of the disease. Not being required to go into the office might sound glorious at the beginning, but proves to be challenging for those of us who have never been a remote worker. It’s quite challenging to stay motivated, especially when Netflix is only a few clicks away.
Learning to enjoy working in your pajamas is easy compared to some other aspects of working from home. I mean, who wouldn’t like to work in their pajamas? However, if you follow the guidelines below, all other parts of working in our new reality will become a lot easier.
Maintain Regular Hours
Make sure that you plan a schedule for your daily routine, even when you are working from home. Set regular hours and assure yourself that you stick to it. The Productivity Planner does all the work you need to optimize your home environment as an office. It provides clear guidelines to be the most productive you can possibly be, even if you’re in sweatpants.
Sometimes, working remotely means you have to extend your work hours and take breaks throughout the day. As long as this is ok with your supervisor and you stick to a schedule, that’s ok! Your Productivity Planner will help you stay on track.
Order your own Productivity Planner today!
Create a Morning Routine
Having an active morning routine can give your whole day a boost. Enjoy your morning workout, have a healthy meal, and get your creativity flowing before starting work.
If you want to begin your day with some sun salutations, try Yoga Download. They have hundreds of amazing classes for you to try right at home. Starting your day with yoga is a great way to be active, release any tension from the previous day, and find your focus for the day ahead.
Sign up with Yoga Download here!
Schedule Breaks
Just like when you’re in the office, you need to take breaks throughout the day when you’re working from home. Refresh yourself with a quick face mask, an episode of your favorite TV show, or a phone call to a friend. Whatever you choose, walk away from the computer screen and your work station completely for the best results.
Practice Self-Care
While working from home, you must care about yourself, too. Continue to work out and follow health care tips to feel your best. Make sure that you wrap up work early, have some me time, and get your beauty sleep. Without this, you’ll burn out quickly and won’t be able to work from home like the pro you are.
Take a Walk Outside
You should walk away from home and enjoy fresh air during breaks or after the workday is over. Even though we are in the middle of a pandemic, that doesn’t mean the outdoors is closed. Wear a mask, stay at least six feet away from people, and go for a walk! Natural sunlight and fresh air can work as a refreshment for your body, so take a 15 to 20-minute walk regularly.
Even if you don’t go outside, you should walk away from your workspace at least once a day during work hours. Remember that your body demands movement, and if you fail to provide it, then it can cost you. Perform most of your tasks such as weeding the garden, taking out the trash, and getting your mail to keep your body healthy.
Set Up a Dedicated Office Space
Now that you are forced to work from home, you need to have a dedicated office space. Doing this will help you separate your work like from your personal life, as well as make you more productive.
Many of us working remotely don’t have a separate office. Instead of that, dedicate a desk you use only for your job. If you create a working environment in your space, then it will surely help you improve your working productivity. You may consider separating your virtual space, too, by making a partition within your hard drive and can build a separate user account for keeping all the data related to your work more securely.
Keep A Separate Work Phone
If possible, it’s helpful to have a separate work phone number. You can make use of this number to call your clients and business colleagues without giving out personal information. Some companies will provide you with a work phone, especially because of the situation we’re currently in.
All you need to do is get a second SIM card and phone, which can be used for professional work only. You can use free VoIP services like Google Voice or any other to interact with your co-workers. Having a separate phone can help you to manage a work-life balance and can prove more beneficial and will result in improving your work productivity to a great extent.
Make Use of VPN
Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) for connecting yourself to the network, including Wi-Fi at working spaces, airports, cafes, libraries, and in your home. Some businesses even have separate VPNs that remote workers can use for accessing certain websites and servers. Being able to do this is so important when you’re working from home!
A VPN can be used to store data for internal use only. In such cases, any remote workers need to use a VPN at home. Make sure that using your VPN connection is a habit, as this can prove to be a safer way to store the data and keep it secure from all the internal threads.
Never Hesitate to Ask For What You Need
When your company has you work from home, then ensure you ask for the equipment you need. This can help you to start your work remotely as soon as possible. Keep in mind that it’s imperative to set precedents, which will help you to get most of your job more comfortably than before ever. Equipment you might need includes a monitor, mouse, keyboard, printer, and more.
Organizations that support a work-from-home policy should also have a budget for home office equipment. Even though many of us are suddenly working remotely in incredibly unusual circumstances, your organization should still support you with everything you need. Never feel hesitant to ask for anything.
As well as ensuring you have the office equipment you need to work from home productively, you may also want to ask for software that will facilitate remote working. Suggesting to your organization that they implement remote working software is an excellent way to increase productivity throughout your team.
Having the correct software is just as crucial as having the right office equipment, so you should not be afraid to ask for it. Using software specifically designed for remote working will help to keep everyone communicating effectively and working efficiently. Ultimately, employee collaboration software does not just make your life easier; it also significantly benefits your organization as they will have a more productive, engaged workforce, so it’s a win-win situation for everyone.
If you follow these tips, your experience of working from home will be just as easy as getting used to wearing comfortable clothes all day. Anyone can opt for work from home by considering the tips above. Finding that right balance is one of the best ways to transition to working from home. Follow the tips discussed above to pioneer your own and allow you to work remotely from your desired destination!
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