Remote Work: 7 tips for maximum productivity in the age of COVID-19

1

Set expectations at home:

If you stay with your siblings or your better half, or maybe you even have kids, you need to set expectations. Establish periods when you are not to be disturbed (except in case of an emergency, that is). Without setting expectations, you can expect to be interrupted every 5 mins or so.

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2

Do domestic chores in a chunk:

Whether or not you live alone, you will have chores to do. Maybe its plates to wash or food to cook or perhaps getting groceries, you have to fix a certain time to attend to them all at once. You could fix 2 hours in the morning or 2hrs in the evening (if there is no curfew). Essentially, you do not want to run 10 errands, 10 different times. It will drain your energy.

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3

Find a quiet place to think, with a door that shuts:

If your workspace at home is in the living room or any space that anyone can walk into anytime, you will have an impossible task concentrating. You need a quiet place where you can think and get meaningful work done. It helps too if you can shut the door. That way, folks knock as against barging in whenever they miss your fine face.

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4

Get Stable Internet connection:

Without super-fast internet typically enjoyed at work, you now have to get creative. If internet service is not exactly great on any particular network, split the fee for data among 2 networks. That way, you can switch when one network misbehaves. Someone once said ‘slow internet is worse than traffic’. Judging by how bad I want to break things when I need to get stuff done and my internet is slower than a snail, I’d say the quote is pretty accurate.

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5

Get a Headset:

In this era of lockdown and zoom meetings, you’d want to avoid echo during online calls. For clear audio during video conferencing, get a headset or at least earpiece.

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6

Take care of your Physical Health:

We used to walk to our cars or parks, and around our offices and surroundings. Now, we barely do any form of unscheduled exercise. If you do not want to gain unplanned weight or emerge from Post COVID-19 a shadow of your physical self, you have to actively take care of your health. Take lots of water, take fruits, walk and/or run around your room (or compound if possible). Do simple exercises. Just stay fit.

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7

Respect Work Policy

Different workplaces have different policies for working from home. If you have to be online during certain hours, be online. Don’t miss scheduled meetings and do not miss your deliverables. Working from home (especially for people like us who are used to going to work) comes with a tendency to be lax. This is not the time to watch all the seasons of Money Heist. Get work done during work hours. Maintain a bias for action.

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Did I miss any tip? Add yours in the comment section.