How to work from home during the covid-19 pandemic: my personal tips

 

Over the years, telecommuting has increased in many companies. Some offer telecommuting for the benefit of employees, which can better balance work and life. Today, millions of people around the world have recently started working at home (WFH) as a result of the covid-19 coronavirus outbreak.

Some companies don’t advocate WFH because they think people can’t work without supervision. Instead, they adopted a culture of control and micromanagement. But what kind of production environment is more effective for employees? Home office or office? Well, it looks like we have a chance to find out. This can last weeks or even longer. Still, it’s a great opportunity to change your lifestyle. Don’t rush home and skip breakfast so you don’t miss the train.

A joint report by buffer and angelist surveyed more than 3500 remote technologists. The study found that the biggest benefit of WFH is its flexible schedule, the ability to work anywhere without commuting. On the other hand, when team members are isolated and dispersed, the challenges of teamwork and communication become obvious. They also feel that they are often obsessed with their work and are distracted by things at home. WFH is great. To some, this may seem like a newly discovered freedom, but with it comes responsibility. To help transition to this new way of working, here are some useful tips:

Daily Routine

Be disciplined.It’s important to cultivate strict daily work or working hours, but be friendly to yourself. Wake up at your usual time and follow your routine. For me, I usually spend my commuting time reading or stretching my legs.
Well dressed. Don’t wear pajamas. The way you dress may affect your mood and attitude, so wear appropriate work clothes.
Set working hours. WFH is flexible, but the start and end of the workday should be as routine as possible. Implement a hard stop at the end of the day and plan your personal affairs. Setting a target end time will determine expectations and increase productivity.
Establish good daily habits during short exercise intervals. I personally think that moving and stretching the body stimulates the brain. The fact is that exercise produces endorphins, which increase happiness and interest levels.

Distractions
Keep the TV off.This is a big interference. If you’re someone who works well with some background music, then the radio or music on YouTube may be better. A relaxed Jazz camp creates a relaxed mood, while a video-game soundtrack makes you energetic.
Stay away from social media. We are all guilty of this from time to time, and social media can be a huge waste of time if you’re not careful.
Separate the workspace from the rest space. You should not work in the bedroom (the bed is too comfortable! It will bring you backache), and you should not work in the kitchen (you can enjoy all the snacks! This can affect your diet).
leave home. If temptation is too distracting, go to a WiFi-enabled Cafe like Starbucks. The new environment is also a great stimulus to creativity and attention.

Communication

Have a daily standup meeting with your team.This can be done remotely (whether standing or sitting). Just keep the essence of streamlining and make team members responsible for each other’s tasks.
Have more social interaction. WFH can be lonely, so I do plan to have a virtual coffee break (a real espresso) with my colleagues. Keep talking to people so you don’t feel isolated.
Over-communicate. WFH said that I could not accompany my colleagues to say something. If things are urgent, I usually do extra work in communication. For example, after sending an email, I also send a text message to the recipient or ping on the slack.
Use emoji. Text messages usually look more formal and more serious. To keep the message positive, sometimes I like to lighten my mood by adding a smile. There is a big difference between completion and completion.

Time Management

Keep a daily list. Whether you work in the office or at home, you must set a schedule for the day and track daily tasks.
Use online tools. There is a lot of free software that can increase productivity:

• Video conferencing: Skype, Zoom, Google meet, Cisco WebEx
• Task and project management: ZenTao
• Team communication: WhatsApp online, slack, Facebook workplace
• Shared documents: Dropbox, box, Google drive

Schedule frequent short breaks. While rest may seem counterproductive, studies have shown that short breaks can actually improve productivity and creativity. Go outside for fresh air, listen to birds, enjoy the breeze, spend time smelling flowers, and connect with nature by short walks or bike.
Avoid working creep. WFH may infringe on your personal life. Without planned working hours, work can seep into your family life, just as personal errands can seep into working hours. Don’t mix household chores with working hours.

WorkSpace Logistics
Prepare a conducive workspace. Apart from having high-speed Internet connections and reliable routers, get comfortable chairs, and keep quiet space for focused work.
I’ve converted the guest room into a home office with ergonomic chairs, extended monitor screens, full stationery, and printers. Most importantly, it is well lit and well ventilated.
Use comfortable headphones or headphones to make calls. It is a good practice to mute the microphone during a conference call (unless you are talking) to minimize audio feedback and random sounds that interfere with the call.
Other hacking measures include reducing video resolution when network traffic is high, and using collaboration tools to share screens but get audio over the phone.

For Parents
Keep children in your plans. Because the school is closed, the children may also be at home. Plan and schedule activities to occupy them at work. Stagger your lunchtime with your child; for example, one partner can enjoy a lunch break from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., while another partner can enjoy a lunch break from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m., so the child needs two hours. As far as we know, working with the children around us may be the new norm for the season.
Get family support. I was fortunate to have my mother take care of the children during the day and do housework with the domestic helpers so that my wife and I could focus on work.

This can be a good thing
WFH is very suitable for work-life balance. It increases ownership and performance. It trains people to focus and discipline. I look forward to seeing the productive benefits of trust and empowerment.
Everyone’s situation is different in the family environment, personality and habits. My advice is to ignore any hints that conflict with your personal beliefs. Tailor the most effective way to work and practice until it becomes part of a lifestyle or culture.
“It takes 21 days to form a habit”
Once a new way of working is established worldwide, it may be difficult to return to the original way.