Two years back, I shifted from a full-fledged office regime to the life of a freelancer, and a new discipline called the work from home. I felt a lot of anxiety. Some of you may or may not feel the same due to the nature of your job.
At first, I would feel guilty for sneaking in a few snores in the form of an afternoon nap or feel disoriented and lethargic right in the morning because there was literally no morning rush to wake me up. Trust me, I didn’t have anybody to consult at the time and was frantic as to what to do. I scoured the internet and perfected a couple of things so that I can smoothly handle this change.
I am still a work in progress, but I'll share the points nonetheless so that people out there can get helped and remain productive. The less productive part is a myth, and I keep wondering why most employers fear to allow 'work from home'.
Few tips to keep in mind to successfully wade through this murky time.
1. Create a peaceful morning routine: Wake up with a hot beverage or a few freehand exercises - whatever is dope to you! But give your morning that spring so that the day bounces happily after that. And don’t forget to make your bed!
2. Clock your work: Start at the regular office time and distribute home tasks around it. I often felt the pressure to be at a task unless it is completed. That would often screw my happiness. But then I learnt to divide it up and when I reached an edge, to keep it for tomorrow to try and tackle again.
3.Juggle with ease: You'll be tempted to catch up in snooze time which you felt you lost all this while. But liberally pepper your day with home works and office works and some hobbies and entertainment so that you don't get bored and your mind is continuously refreshed. Work from home can feel breezy and oh-so-easy for the first week, but then it’ll be mundane again, and your energy will go down.
4. Practice the art of saying ‘no’: There is no compulsion that you’ll have to tend to office works post office closing time. Convey that to your boss directly. At least I clearly communicate with my client, and that has taught me to be direct and not passive-aggressive or sneaky. Still, the ego-bubble of an Indian boss is legendary.
Turn off your communication devices like phone/Skype at that hour and get some tea or your kind of beverage, along with good music to help you signal that the workday is over.
5. Demarcate your workplace (important): We are all not gifted with big rooms and with everybody staying in at this time of quarantine, peace and quiet might be elusive. But then pick your nook and create that work atmosphere. My personal choice will be near a big window.
6. Walk, hydrate: Working from home and not stepping out at all can make things unhealthy over a period of time. Keep walking around after sitting for every hour and drink a lot of water, warm water if possible. Hydrate. Walk. Work. Hydrate. Walk. Work.
Let me know your work from home problems, and if possible, we will brainstorm and find a solution. Contact me at nandy.shreya@gmail.com
