This is the written version on second episode of The Suite Room Podcast. In this episode I am sharing six tips for productivity in this new normal. You can listen to the Podcast here
I heard some of the companies were starting to operate but adjusting their work schedule for their employees. If you are included in the category that still has to work from home whether it is full time or under rotation basis, you definitely need a proper space to work. What I mean by proper space is the space for you to be able to work in peace without too much distraction or disturbance from your surroundings.
It brings me to the first tips which is :
Dedicate your workspace at home. The space that is comfortable for you to do your daily work, taking up a call, or even recording your story, like creating a podcast or a video. Since I was working from home in the last couple of months, I realized the importance of having my own workspace to help me focus so I am able to finish the task according to my deadline. I would suggest you have a separate chair and table to do your work and maintain a certain distance from the crowd at your home.
Make sure you plan ahead your schedule. Being at home with convenient access to do whatever you want and whenever you want is a strong temptation that allows you to deviate from the intended purpose. So I strongly advised you to plan your day and stick to your schedule, and only give a leeway for an urgent matter. Don’t let your mood overpower your schedule. It happens to me a lot of time and that ruins my deadline every time. One thing you should remember while planning your schedule is to keep the balance between break and productivity. Making your schedule including a breaking time would allow you to not feel under pressure with your own timing, and that will leave you to work in peace and make you more productive.
Plan your finances very carefully. Well, you see, in this current situation everything is so unpredictable. Even though the country could plan for the upcoming strategies for the new normal, we would never know how the future holds - and even though you are not massively struggling financially right now, you should still spend wisely and keep some for your savings. We have to be mindful about ourselves during this period because it will somehow determine the qualities of our daily life. We don’t know if we are ever going back to a normal situation that we had, so we better prepare ourselves.
Invest in yourself. I bet you have enough time right now for doing a lot of things. And this is the right time for you to start thinking about your own personal development. I understand that some of you still have to work, but hey..when will you have this kind of opportunity and time to talk to people, make new connections and network, learn from others, understand how other industries work, and so on. You can also take a new course online, or even participate in a webinar. In short speaking, learn something new that can help your future life and career.
Revisit your goal and work towards it. This might become your very first step when it comes to adjusting yourself in this new normal. The entire situation right now not only changes the way of living all over the world but it also changes perspective and thinking. So it’s natural if you need to take a look again at your vision. You might want to take a step back and re-arrange your goal and find a way to achieve it.
And the last tips but the most important one is; taking care of your mental health. I posted a content last week on my instagram about how there is no job in this world that is worth your mental health. Your mental health is a condition of your emotional, physical and social well-being. It will affect the way you act, think, feel and it contributes to the way you handle stress, relate to others, and decision making. Take some time off to reboot and recharge yourself when or even before you feel the burnout, get a silent moment to reflect on your everyday life, will help you to stay sane and powerful. This is super important especially when you are working at home, having a lot of collaboration online, but at the same time you need to balance your time and focus with your team mate and also people at home, which going to drain your energy level emotionally and physically.