Working from home requires extra self-motivation and a whole lot of discipline. The ability to work remotely is something many employees need to acknowledge, as it is being labelled the “Future of Work”. In a Covid-19 world many of us are forced to make it work, but is it really working? In order to be productive, employees need to be happy and find a balance between what used to be “normal” and what could now be considered as such.

To assist newbies of the #workfromhome lifestyle, our remote employees gave some guidance tips and tricks that have worked for them over the years. If you’ve missed the first installment, please click here.

Tip 7:   Communication is “King”

Communication is always important, but when you are working from home, proper communication is critical. You have to learn to convey messages accurately, briefly, clearly and ask the right questions. Without proper communications a bottle-neck in the process-flow could easily occur, which leads to gaps in productivity. Mastering the art of Netiquette could also come in helpful here.

Tip 8:   Organise and Plan for Success

There are great software solutions on the market to help teams manage tasks and communicate more effectively. But all of these are worthless if you are unorganised in your home office space.

You have to plan for a successful outcome by creating a daily to do list for yourself and completing tasks accordingly and timeously.

Tip 9:   Healthily Eating

The kitchen is right there, so obviously the urge to fix yourself a snack is always going to be on the table. Try to eat as healthily and “normally” as possible to avoid that energy crash we tend to get after a huge meal.

Note to self: because your bedroom is right there the urge to catch a quick nap could be there too. But nip that one in the bud!

Tip 10:   Improve Knowledge and Skills through Training

In a normal work setting you would learn new skills or tips from other colleagues. You would also brainstorm ideas and “grow” by listening and seeing how others work. While it is still possible to do some of these things digitally the effect is not really the same. Make time to learn new skills by enrolling in short training courses, attending webinars, listening to TED Talks etc.

Tip 11:   Reward Yourself

Practicing constant discipline when you are alone is sometimes difficult. Especially on particular days of the week, or certain hours of the day. But do it anyway! Rewarding yourself with small incentives could be helpful motivators. Rewards could be simple things like making yourself a hot beverage, doing some online retail window shopping, or catching up on social. Whatever gets you in the zone for the next stretch of work and doesn’t take up too much of your time.

Tip 12:   Take Time to Reset

Commuting to and from work is effective at resetting our mindsets to and off work. If you find it difficult to switch on and off, perhaps you need an activity to help you do this. For example, walking your dog or going for a run after work could be great “distance” creators.
 

If you are really struggling to adapt to the work-from-home culture, talk to your superior, or manager for extra advice and guidance.

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Chantel Venter

Chantél Venter is a creative writer, strategic thinker, and a serious gesticulator. She’s passionate about storytelling, small businesses and bringing color to the world ­– be it through her words or wardrobe.

She holds a four-year degree in Business and Mass Media Communication and Journalism. She’s been a copywriter and editor for the technology, insurance and architecture industries since 2007 and believes anybody can run a small business successfully. She therefore enjoys finding and sharing the best and most practical tips for this purpose.