Working from home is nothing new but the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020 and now into 2021 means that many people have been forced into isolation and home working. But the social aspect of being at work with others is beneficial for many people and working from requires some discipline:
- Set Your Work Schedule
- Remove Distractions
- Be Your Own Boss
Working from home isn’t for everyone and it takes time to get used to. It is all too easy to slack off or put something off until later. Luckily, adapting to it is quite easy but takes a little practice.
Remember that You are at Work
Even though you might be working from home it is wise to remember that you are still at work. You are being paid for your time and you have tasks to be completed. There is no boss breathing down your neck and there is nobody watching you, but that doesn’t mean you can slack off.
Whether you are a professional or a student, take your work-from-home assignments as seriously as you would as if you were at the office, working off-site, or studying for top online MBA programs. A good tip is to get up at the same time, dress for work, and do all the same preparation that you normally would.
Plan out your workday and assign time slots and tasks that take you from your start time right up to your allotted finish time such as 9 to 5. Just remember to take breaks and eat your lunch as it’s easy to work through these when you are in such comfort.
Curb the Procrastination Station
You might be working at your desk and PC while at home and since there is no firewall or network monitoring software you might be tempted to check Facebook, play a quick game, or see what deals are on at your favorite shopping site. Don’t do it.
Think of your own home PC as being connected to your work network and act as though you would at work. It’s really easy to lose track of time when procrastinating and you don’t want to add to the stress of already having your usual work-life upended by getting behind on time-sensitive assignments.
Ask, What Would My Boss Do?
Being at home for work means that you are essentially your own boss, but that comes with a very high degree of self-responsibility. Being your own boss doesn’t mean you can always be kind to yourself and actually requires an acknowledgment of the discipline that comes with it.
Despite the stereotype, most of us actually have good bosses who are fair and respectable, so try to get into the mindset of your actual boss or college tutor and think about how they would approach a certain situation or assign you a specific task.
Ask what they would want, how they would want, and how quickly they would need it. Then imagine that your boss is actually there with you. I would imagine that most people working from home have to check in regularly anyway by using video conferencing or cloud-based scheduling systems, so try to adhere to your office’s rules as best you can.