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The recent wave of shock caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic has left the working class paralyzed in many ways. However, lucky are those who have managed to hold on to their jobs or have lost and then again found one. This is almost like finding an oasis in a desert.
Yet, on the other hand, these same employees have become prisoners in their own homes and a slave to their own jobs. If you too belong to this category and are reading this, then you should train yourself with the DO’s and DON’T’s of ‘work from home’ or ‘remote working.’
What is the ‘new normal’?
Before you delve further into this writing, take a closer look at this concept of ‘remote access.’ Remote stands for ‘distant’ and access means ‘a way or a chance to enter.’ When put together, the phrase denotes ‘getting the access to do your official work while you are being stationed in your home.’
This has become the ‘new normal’ just like you would wear a mask or use a hand sanitizer to keep yourself safe. It is almost the seventh month running, with lockdown and pandemic, and most offices have granted remote access. How we all had silently and openly wished for this before the Coronavirus outbreak! It is a wish granted too soon, unfortunately.
But jokes apart, if you actually look into the two sides of this situation, you can easily weigh the merits and the demerits. Keeping these in mind, you shall head forth towards ‘what you must’ and ‘what you must not do’ until the ‘old normal’ work culture resumes.
DO’s for remote access
1. Indulge in individual work more
Concentrate on your goals and go about acquiring them. The moment your work time starts, it is wise to focus on what you are going to deal in. Leave behind yesterday’s worries and do not fret over them. Keep a positive mindset, and do what has to be done.
2. Eliminate disruptions and unnecessary interferences
Shut yourself up in your study and commence your work. Too much interference from family members hampers the pace of work and results in stretchy work hours. Do ask them not to disturb you while you are at work and communicate over the phone if needed. Put your phone on silent mode and only receive calls & answer texts that seek your assistance.
3. Complete all your household chores in time
One of the most significant setbacks of working from home is an additional pressure to fulfill household duties. So, make it a point to do them before or after your work hours and definitely not in between.
4. Control stress and burnout
As everyone is under ‘home arrest’ without a vent by moving out of home or indulging in some means of entertainment, feeling bored or pent up is natural. Speak to others about your stress, and do face your problems boldly. Controlling your anger, exhaustion, exertion, and burnout becomes mandatory in this tedious ‘new normal’ work culture.
5. Chalk out your plan of action
Make a daily schedule other than planning the entire week’s work in advance. There is a high possibility that pre-planning would not bear the desired results. So take one step at a time and achieve your daily deadlines.
6. Have a work schedule
Set strict working hours and restrict yourself from working beyond the set hours. This will increase your efficiency and will help you to deliver more productive work. Most often, it has been seen that with relaxed work hours, both productivity and efficiency suffer.
7. Take a break
Allot a particular time when you would take a break from work. Either you have a lunch or a tea break with a little walk around on the terrace. Help yourself to get some extra dose of energy and relax your limbs from continually sitting in one place.
DON’T’s for remote access
1. Refrain from leaving your office portal logged in
Maintain a strict vigil and do not leave your computer or laptop without supervision. Either put it on sleep mode or simply shut it down when you are not sitting at it. Forgetting to do so can make you face dire consequences if someone happens to fidget with it. You might just lose essential data as well.
2. Overstress or overburden
Believe in yourself and never underestimate your capabilities. Not doing so will only make you feel stressed out, and there will be an impending tension hovering in your mind. Consequently, your health will suffer, and your work will deteriorate.
3. Stop taking too many calls during work hours
A lot of time is wasted taking calls from friends, relatives, and colleagues while you are working. Checking the phone too often for social media posts or messages also hamper the flow of work. Make your mind strong and control your fingers from reaching out to the phone quite often.
4. Lying without a cause
The situation is such that everyone is going through a certain amount of mental stress and is lagging in work. It is an understandable problem, so you need not lie about not willing to work for a day. Maintaining transparency with your colleagues helps them to feel compassion towards you.
5. Create a spillover
Try to complete your day’s work as much as possible. Do not think, ‘Oh! I will finish it tomorrow. Let it be.’ Such thoughts can create a backlog, and finally, the work piles up so severely that you begin to drown under pressure.
6. Forget about team communications
Never miss out on an important meeting or briefing of a task. Being patient and present during the sessions will give you a clearer picture of what needs to be done. Thus, communicating with others should not be neglected.
7. Lose your potential or productivity
Avoid focusing on the bygones. Let the present be of more value to you as it will boost your zeal to work. Function with all your might and refrain from brooding over what ‘you could have done.’
Tips to keep the ‘show’ on
It takes a lot of effort to keep a sound mind while working remotely for longer durations. For this reason alone, you can try out these tips just to find your daily happiness that will for sure, increase your work efficiency.
Eat what you love, and it will keep your mood in a proper swing.
Opt for music therapy at your home. It is as simple as listening to some soulful tunes to help your mind relax.
While working on your laptop or desktop, keep a screensaver that radiates positivity.
Take a walk or indulge in a little workout to drain out exhaustion.
It would indeed be great if you could nurture a hobby. This helps to keep your work stress at bay and gives you enough time to sort out your work.
With these extra tips, you are bound to hold the reigns better than before. So what are you waiting for? Simply take the plunge and set about with your work. Keep in mind the DO’s and DON’T’s and add on to the lists your own points too.
