In the unprecedented COVID-19 situation, people are getting used to working remotely. Still, most people find working from home can encourage procrastination. From household chores to family issues, there are lots of distractions. Moreover, casual dressing and a relaxing spot on a couch or in a bedroom wouldn’t have the same level of enthusiasm as wearing a formal dress and working at a desk. Below are some of the ways you can remain focused on work and maintain remote working efficiency.
How to Maintain Remote Working Efficiency: 7 Tips
-
Set a Dedicated Workspace
Our minds often think home is where we can relax and enjoy comfort. That’s why we may be persuaded to work from the bed as it is the most relaxed spot in the house. But associating your bed with work can interfere with sleep at night. And sleep-related issues may affect work output the next day. Set aside a designated workplace with a reading table or a desk in a different location, although your bed feels relaxed.
Adapt a work-oriented approach at the beginning of the day. Think like you are getting prepared to go to the office. Eat your breakfast on time following a morning tea or coffee, dress more formally than wearing pajamas, and set your mind for the work schedule.
-
Create a Daily Work Schedule
Setting up an easy-to-follow schedule helps increase productivity and limits the urge for disruptions. At the beginning of the day, review the tasks you must accomplish. Prioritize all the tasks and allocate them in a certain amount of time, including breaks. Without a structured schedule, you may delay your tasks as you spend time on personal activities. Eventually, your deliveries are getting delayed. So, maintain your work schedule and adhere to it as much as possible.
-
Maintain Communication
Commonly, our minds may seek excuses to delay performing the assigned tasks and enjoy relaxation unless there is a strict deadline. Such an attitude becomes more common when working remotely, where nobody can monitor your activities. To overcome this problem, keep in touch with your team members all the time and let others know about your work progress. This encourages your productivity and keeps you accountable, and you’ll feel more obliged to accomplish tasks on time. Don’t forget video calling etiquette when communicating virtually.
-
Limit Distractions and Interruptions
Procrastination can arise from all sorts of places if you are not careful. Performing a task on time is difficult if we are distracted often. Establish an organized workspace at home and remove any potential distractions and interruptions. Put your cellphone in silent mode or mute notifications if you habitually check social media frequently. Keep your children engaged so they won’t interrupt while you are working.
-
Practice Good Self-Care and Eat Healthily
To perform at your best, you need to maintain a healthy lifestyle, eat nutritious food and take plenty of rest. According to a study overeating at lunchtime could decrease productivity in the afternoon, whereas skipping lunch could lead to losing attention later in the day. Try to stick to a consistent eating schedule as you would on a typical workday at the office.
-
Separate Work and Personal Time
Just as it’s important to perform professional duties, setting aside some time for yourself and your family is important. Do not prolong your daily work hours, or you may miss out on family events. If you must attend a family program in the evening, plan and ensure you complete your assigned tasks on time.
-
Make Ground Rules for Family Members
Remote working is easily misunderstood by people, especially those not used to it. Therefore, you are responsible for making them understand how it will work. There might be days when you don’t have much work pressure, and you would leave your workspace to help family members prepare lunch or feed your pets. But it should not mean you would be available daily to do other household chores. Persuade your family members to leave you alone during office hours so that you can concentrate on work.
Final Words
Remote working is an employee working scheme that is being considered by many businesses. In the future, it is likely to become more common. However, we must start practicing the best mechanisms to ensure we stick to the same discipline, consistency, and efficiency when working remotely at the office. Some best practices mentioned in this article may help you maintain efficiency in remote working.
