Hacks to Effectively Work and Run You Business From Home — The Sugar Girl Reality
The emergence of the Coronavirus pandemic came with experiences — the good, the bad and the ugly. On the bad and ugly side, lives were lost and still being lost globally, hospitals overwhelmed, economies dwindled and jobs were lost.
On the other hand, the pandemic taught the world that things which were tagged abnormal could actually become normal, that includes working from home.
Prior to the pandemic, remote jobs were rare. Work from home options was mainly available to those in high-skilled white-collar sectors like tech, architecture and writing and communication.
Statistics have estimated that as long as the pandemic persists, work from home jobs could rise between 30 and 40%.
So, if you work remotely, it’s certain that it’s going to be the “new normal” at least, for now.
If you are a remote worker, we’ve put together some tips to help you work effectively. Whether you are a virtual assistant, a freelancer or business owner, these tips will help make your journey comfortable, enjoyable and effective.
Just relax as you read through these tips.
1. Separate your work area and personalize it
It may interest many remote workers to carry out their activities in bed or on the sofa. But hey, this won’t help you complete your tasks. Beds and sofas should be reserved for relaxation. The brain has a way of adapting to certain environments. This probably explains why people who read in bed tend to fall asleep easily. Set up an office desk some metres away from your bed.
Personalizing your desk has to do with lightening up your work area and decorating it. According to research, natural light has the ability to lift moods and encourage productivity.
Also, decorating your work desk with pictures can make it more welcoming and attractive to work. You would want to work in an environment that is aesthetically pleasing, wouldn’t you?
2. Always take off your night wears and exercise before work
Paying less attention to your physical and mental health can be equated to lower work productivity. Waking up, having breakfast in bed while working can be quite enticing, but trust me, you’ll get tired as soon as you realise your work is beginning to get piled up.
Studies have shown that taking a walk or running around the neighbourhood can improve work performance. This would also be an opportunity to take off your nightwear and also have a cool bath before work begins. Dressing in an office attire has a way of resetting the brain to work mode.
3. Have a to-do list and office playlist
Setting goals and developing strategies to accomplish them is necessary for optimum performance. While creating your task for the day, always take time into consideration. Allocating time to each task will ensure that all objectives for the day are met.
Having good music quietly playing in the background can boost your morale to work, however, this strategy doesn’t sit well with everyone. If you are a lover of good music, having it play in the background won’t make you feel lonely while working from home.
4. Always take short breaks
There are situations where many of us will just want to focus our brains for 8 hours to complete certain projects but this isn’t healthy at all. Taking short breaks gives your brain some rest and boosts productivity.
Plan to use these little breaks to rest and avoid distractions from your phone. The trick is to turn off notifications that may creep in and rob you off your break time. You can use this to have some coffee or grab a snack.
5. Maintain your social circle
Having to work from home away from teammates can be quite boring, causing a strain in the social aspects of work. Integrating some social hangouts into your schedule won’t cause you any troubles.
You could plan to meet up with colleagues for launch (may not be advisable due to the pandemic) or you could use a fraction of your break time to video call a friend and just have casual talks or goof around.
6. Appraise yourself, make a schedule for the next day and tidy your desk
It’s advisable to go through your to-do list at the close of work and tick the boxes for each completed task. If you feel you can devote more time to complete pending tasks, feel free to do so.
Also, having to prepare your schedule ahead of the next day could go a long way and keep tasks at your fingertip.
After completing your day’s job, clear up your desk. There’s a chance you may not have a cleaner or a secretary at home.
Sugar Girl Reality believes that you may find one or all of these tips useful if you run your business from home or work remotely. Why not try them today?
Originally published at https://www.sugargirlreality.com on February 15, 2021.