Not too long ago, working from home (WFH) was mostly a perk for employees, and then COVID happened! Now it is both a business necessity and a priority for most companies. Working from home option came as the savior when companies were in dire need of maintaining social distancing and smooth operations of the business. Most companies asked their workforce to connect remotely so that their people can stay safe and business isn’t impacted.

In a survey conducted by Atlassian, more than 40% of participants said WFH meant working longer hours. This clearly shows the productivity has gone down. Since none of the parties would appreciate this change, we thought of extending some help 🙂 

You can utilize the below tips from fellow Software Development Companies who are able to maintain the balance and guidance from experts who can help you be productive and happy while working from home.  

1) Fix the daily schedule:

Getting up 15 minutes before the daily standup is a sure-shot recipe of disaster. The call will extend, something else will come up, a colleague will ask something, and your morning is already gone for a toss. 

If you want to be effective and productive, it is essential to have a morning routine, in fact, a schedule for the entire day. The routine should include the activities for the whole day, including a to-do list for work, cooking time, eating time, breaks, and exercise time. 

2) Plan the day ahead: 

 At the end of each day, put together a priority-wise list of tasks that you need to do tomorrow so the next day, you would know exactly how to navigate through your day.  

Keep the list small to not get overwhelmed. Doing this will help you reduce your decision fatigue, and ticking off items from the list will give you satisfaction. 

3) Set up a WFH room/corner: 

It’s important to create a space in your home that you can call workspace. This can be a separate room or corner or a desk dedicated to working only. Your mind must understand that when you are in that space, work mode is ON and vice versa. If possible, set up this space where you have plenty of sunlight. Sunlight is a natural mood enhancer. 

Just get away from your bed or sofa’s comfort and create an environment where you feel productive. Having a separate space and keeping it tidy and clutter-free will reduce the distraction of the mind, and you will be able to focus on the task at hand. 

4) Include meditation in the routine:

According to a study, meditation can help increase am employees’ productivity by 120%. It is no more a revelation that meditation is an excellent tool to increase the feeling of contentment and work satisfaction. Practicing meditation only for 10 mins a day can immensely enhance productivity and a person’s overall happiness. 

You can start on your own by sitting with your thoughts for some time or getting professional help, choose whatever works for you, but do meditating. Once you start doing it you can never go back to NOT doing it. 

5) Fill the calendar for everything:

 Need to take or give an update from a teammate, follow up on some cross-function team, put everything on the calendar. By Filling the calendar, we mean that along with your scheduled meetings and calls, fill it for the lunch break, coffee break, water break, etc. This will help you to monitor how your time is utilized? 

6) Take some rest during the day

Please be aware that Zoom fatigue or any online communication tool fatigue, for that matter, is a real thing. Don’t be too harsh and cut yourself some slack. Take a power nap or spend some time with your plants or a quick play session with your pets or kids. A small break from work during midday will re-energize you and help you focus. 

7) Schedule a weekly meeting for NOT discussing work

We human beings always need attention and warmth. We are more than just our work. Since physicals meetings are not possible, so are the corridor and pantry updates. Have a short weekly meeting with your teammates to know about their personal lives, share the latest recipe you tried or the new book you are reading but strictly do not discuss work. Try to fill that gap and connect on an emotional level. 

8) Also schedule the end of day

Knowing when to stop working is as important as knowing when to start doing it. Log off from the computer at a particular time. Let your mind know that it is the end of the day, and help the brain disburden itself. Working from home does not mean working the whole day. Do not spill your work after a particular hour and maintain the work-life balance.