The global pandemic COVID-19 has turned the world upside down. The pandemic has changed our lifestyles, our work behaviors and now we effectively manage working from home, and our perception of life. The world came to a halt after the COVID-19 hit Wuhan, China, and thereafter spread throughout the world.

Before the spread of pandemics, people were living their lives as normal. Waking up early in the morning, having breakfast, and commuting to the office. But as soon as the death toll increased, people were asked to stay at home. Those who were linked to online business and the IT industry found no problem working from home. They were habitual working from home in the past as well.

In the wake of death risks, several companies had to wind up their business, while the rest of the employers allowed workers to work from home. If you are one of them who aren’t used to work from home lifestyle, then stay tuned and read the post until the end. In this post, we are going to guide you about tips to effectively manage working from home. Let’s get started.

How to Stay Productive While Working from Home

Set a Time to Work

Working from home is a real challenge for most people. Most people find it distracting and challenging to manage their work within the given timeframe. However, it won’t be difficult to manage your assigned tasks within the given time.

Make sure to set a schedule and follow it religiously. Most people find it difficult to have a balance between their work and social life while working from home. The top reason is that they are easily distracted by someone knocking at the door, smartphone, or call with a friend.

You can surely take advantage of flexibility, but don’t forget to deliver your daily tasks without any delays. Sometimes you need to accommodate your client’s time zone to commence a meeting. Make sure to schedule your time in such a way that your routine remains normal as any other day. When starting a new task, allocate time so that you can stay productive without being distracted.

Get a High-Speed Internet Connection

Now this one is as important as water to living things. Work from home requires you to stay connected all the time and manage your workflows without disruption. Frequent disconnection and slow internet may hinder your work drastically.

Imagine in the middle of video conferencing your internet stops working and you can’t do anything about it. Make sure to search for a reliable internet service provider in your area. For remote workers, unless they are not downloading or uploading heavy files, a 100Mbps internet connection would be enough.

The reason to recommend this speed is that there are other people at your home connected to the same network. Click here to find out the best internet service provider in your area for seamless connection and blazing fast internet.

Take Short Breaks in Between

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy is a famous proverb. You can’t stay the productive whole day without getting short breaks. Just as you do in your office, get up from the seat and have a walk around your home.

And going out in the backyard of your home in the basking sun would give you extra energy and refresh your mind. Take a walk for at least 10-15 minutes. Do some stretching and stay away from the screen during this time.

Remove Digital Distractions

Most remote workers find it challenging to keep digital distractions away. People tend to spend more time on Facebook, Instagram, and other such activities. This might lead to wastage of time and most of the remote workers are found guilty of it.

When starting a new task, make sure to allocate time and complete the task within it. Put away all your devices and start wholeheartedly on your work. Keep some kind of reward for completing the task on time and staying away from digital distraction.

If that looks too challenging, you can find several tools online. Install it on your smartphone as well as your laptop. The tools will help you to stay focused as long as the timer has been set. Most of the new Android devices come with built-in tools to reduce screen time and stay focused.

Ask Your Employer for What You Need

If you are working remotely for an organization, you can put a request to give you the necessary equipment to get started. For instance, you can ask for an internet device, any peripherals needed for getting things done, or a gadget that would help you perform better. Most of the organizations offer you paid internet, which might help you in reducing your expenses.

It is not good to ask for complete office furniture such as a table and chair. Simply ask for devices that aren’t too expensive and are easy to manage such as headphones, webcam, mouse, or external hard drive.

Allocate an Office Space in Your Home

Those who are working remotely for a long time might know how important it is to have a dedicated office space. In most of the houses, the environment is quite distracting and one can’t focus on work. For instance, a kid might disrupt you in the middle of a video conference and ask you about throwing garbage in the backyard.

If you want to work remotely, make sure to dedicate a room where you can keep all your office-related equipment and furniture. It does not mean that you spend incessantly, rather it should include all the necessary items such as an office chair, table, laptop/PC, sound system, and a PlayStation (optional) to keep you fresh.

Use a VPN

Most of the remote workers aren’t comfortable working from home. Some might choose café and library and others might choose co-working space. No matter, whatever space you choose to work, if you are using public Wi-Fi don’t forget to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN). It would help you stay secure and protected from being exposed to hackers and scammers. You can find plenty of VPNs for free such as Browsec, ProtonVPN, ExpressVPN, TunnelBear, and many more.