Master the art of working from home with our useful tips for productivity!
If you're feeling a little Déjà vu with the current work situation right now, it's because we're back in Phase 2 (heightened alert).
This means work from home will be the new norm again for most of us, and we'll have to tackle the daily struggle of traversing the lines between your desk and bed, your desk and kitchen, and for lucky parents out there, your children.
Photo: Domenico Loia
Lucky for us, we've got the full WFH experience during circuit breaker and we're definitely better prepared this round! So in case you've forgotten how to truly own working from home, here's some tips and a little refresher!
1. Create your personal workspace
Photo: Andrew Neel
Like how some people have optimum times of the day when they’re most creative, the same can be said with their workspaces. Be it by the window or even in a corner of the room, you work best when you’re most comfortable! And if you haven’t already found a spot, it’s definitely worth the effort to set one up for the month ahead!
Video by: bestdressed
Find that space in your house and let your family members or roommates know that when you’re there, you’re looking to get some solid work done, keeping interactions to a minimum unless it’s important.
2. Put away any potential distractions
Photo: Annie Spratt
With a designated workspace in place, look at ways to make it more conducive for yourself. Clear ‘stuff’ that you know would definitely distract you and only include the essentials that you need for your workflow.
Video by: Forbes
Set the perfect mood for focusing by including a scented candle or even some greenery in the form of table plants to help with concentration!
3. Create a schedule for your day
Photo: Jessica Lewis
Breaking your day down and setting routines would be a great help in balancing your workflow, especially when you’re at home and have the freedom to go along with your day at your own pace.
Take some time to plan out your day in the morning or the night before, and remember to add in some breaks to refresh yourself mentally and physically.
Video by: Thomas Frank
You can create your list on your handy notebook, or with one of the many scheduling apps that helps make our lives that much easier. Here are some apps we recommend!
- Things - Available on iOS & OS X
- Trello - Available on iOS & Android
- Google Calendar - Available on iOS & Android
- Carrot - Available on iOS
- Any.do - Available on iOS & Android
4. Tackle daily chores together with the family
Photo: NeONBRAND
You probably won’t be the only one in the house, and with everyone at home at the same time, that means chores, preparing meals or even taking care of the kids. Although they’re not really urgent, these tasks would surely creep up on you at some point, thus disrupting your flow.
Video by: The Futur
A good tip is to plan around these inevitable tasks that can be controlled. Based on when you, your family members or partners are most productive, create a schedule around that and assign tasks to different people. Remember to switch up the rotation too!
To save time on meal prep, try takeout services every now and then to support your local hawker or those in the F&B industry who are badly hit in these trying times. Remember to wear a mask and bring your own reusable containers if you decide to venture out to tabao.
5. Take stretch breaks in-between
While talking about productivity is key in this article, we still need to take a break in between long stretches of work! Depending on your choice of workspace, you may often be found slouching or in some incredible yoga-like posture (we’ve all been there).
Video by: Yoga With Adriene
However, the most comfortable positions might not always be the best for your body, where being in those positions for long periods of time might lead to aches and pains in your body. Dedicate short blocks of 10 minutes throughout the day for some basic stretches.
6. Listen to a playlist that helps you concentrate
As studies show, music is a powerful tool! It can move us, evoke emotions and in this case, boost our focus and concentration. Be it classical, coffee house tunes or even your favourite jams, find a playlist that suits your type of work and let it play in the background as you continue on your tasks.
You can also tune in to some podcasts as you start your day or even during your stretch breaks to set your mind and get that motivation to own the day!
7. Maximize your 'flow' times
Everyone will have different periods of the day where they're the most productive. For some, it's during the day and others, late at night!
With the flexibility of working from home and the schedule that you've created for yourself in the previous step, you can now slot in tasks that require some heavy thinking or creativity during your 'flow' times, when your mind's functioning the best.
8. Disconnect at the end of the workday
Video by: Marie Forleo
The best part about working from home is that you’re actually in your own home! But this could be a double-edged sword too, if you don’t set some boundaries. While being home the whole day, there isn’t a trigger like leaving your office to tell you that you’re off work.
Photo: Nparks
Set a time and when you’re done for the day, remember to turn everything off and put aside your work tools! You can take a break at your nearby park and get some fresh air. Just make sure to check NEA’s interactive map beforehand and remember to keep a safe distance from others.
9. Get some fresh air during the weekends for a good recharge
The best way to stay productive and motivated in our opinion is to strike a good balance between work and exercise! Because if you feel good, you'll definitely work good too!
You can still head out for some greenery during the weekends to get a good recharge, but remember to follow the safe distancing measures!
Here are some of our handy outdoor guides to help you out!
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