With the advent of the pandemic, working from home has become the new normal. Remote work has its advantages such as less commute stress, flexible schedule, customizable office, etc. However, it has many challenges that make it difficult to ensure employee welfare and sustain high productivity levels. These include:
- Social isolation – An office provides an atmosphere for healthy discourse and building one’s personal and professional network. Working from home takes away this factor and replaces it with virtual connections that fail to reach up to the former, resulting in socially isolated employees.
- Distractions – Even though your home is free from office-related noise, it has its distractions in the form of family matters, pets, chores, etc.
- Communication issues – Having one-on-one meetings and conversations is always preferred than sharing everything via mail and chat. To add to the problem, technical glitches can disrupt communication in work from home setups.
- Managing a schedule on your own – Once outside the office, it can be tough to organize and stick to a proper plan. Without the supervision of seniors and peers, employees often tend to slack.
- Developing bad health habits – Remote work is closely associated with a lack of exercise and frequent snacking, leading to poor health.
Tips to stay motivated and productive
- Start your day with energy
A perfect morning routine gives you lasting energy and self-control. Waking up early, meditating or going for a run, eating a balanced breakfast, putting your phone away, reading the news, etc., are some healthy habits you can develop to prepare yourself for the day.
- Feed your mind as you feed your body
Reading or listening to information that can positively impact your life is vital for your mental well-being. Feeding your mind with healthy thoughts and useful facts helps you develop a fresh outlook on life.
- Get comfortable
Sitting in a fixed position for a long time can lead to back pain and other problems. To stay comfortable while working from home, change your posture often, get a comfortable chair, take short breaks every two hours, sit straight keeping your neck and back in a proper position, build a comfortable space for work and decorate it suitably, etc.
- Stay hydrated
It is essential to stay hydrated as it keeps the immune system functioning. Keeping a water bottle close by throughout the day, setting alarms to remind you to take a few sips, and avoiding food and beverages that cause dehydration are a few measures that help you stay alert and energized.
- Communicate
To eliminate social isolation and all its adverse effects, it is essential to communicate with other people. Keeping in touch with friends and family, having casual virtual meetings with colleagues and peers, and engaging in group activities are some of the things you can do to maintain productivity and overcome feelings of isolation.
- Stay fit
A healthy body translates to a healthy mind. Adopting a daily exercise routine, meditating, practicing yoga daily, eating a nutritious diet, stretching every once in a while, cutting down on junk food and snacks, etc., can help you realize your fitness goals and enhance your work performance.
Listening to music that helps you focus, befriending a notebook, and decluttering your workspace are a few other habits you can develop to enrich the work from home experience. All the measures mentioned above can help you overcome challenges, stay motivated and breathe.
‘Enriching BSH’ is a new initiative launched by BSH that aims to deliver insight on general topics such as workplace culture, motivation, skill development, and so on. Visit our website to learn more.
