In light of COVID-19 pandemic, working from home is now the new-norm for almost all companies in which employees are required to work from home on rotation basis or permanently until the situation is safer. Here are some tips to work from home during the pandemic.
1. Wake up early and maintain a regular routine.
Treat working from home, same as when you work in office. Follow your morning routine and grab your breakfast before you ‘clock in’ to your work at home. Refresh yourself with a cup of coffee or tea as you usually do in your office office. It is best to stick to normal schedule to be productive and to get your work done accordingly.
2. Create good workspace
Recreate office setup at your home. It’s okay if it isn’t as amazing as your office, but consider getting yourself a suitable chair and table. Arrange for a workstation separately from your personal space if it is possible.
3. Take a break and exercise in between your break
Sitting for a prolonged period will lead to discomfort and you may potentially develop back pain, fatigue, muscle tenderness and aches eventhough sitting doesn’t seem like a chore. Take a break for at least 10 minutes every one hour in between your work and stretch up, go up and down of the stairs to move your body or prepare your food and keep your physical condition intact.
4. Leave home once in a while
Once in a while, leave your home and take a break outside. You can still have a routine of buying food on take away during lunch like you usually do while working at office. But remember to always maintain social distancing, practices self-hygiene, sanitize your hand and avoid close conversation during this COVID-19 pandemic.
5. Communicate regularly with your co-workers
Continue to maintain regular communication and conversation with your co-workers as you would do while working from the office by calling or engaging virtually to avoid loneliness as it could impact your emotional well-being and reduce stress while working from home.
Unprecendented scenario of COVID-19 created a challenging situation for both employers and employees as engagement of work has shifted from physical mode to virtual mode. Therefore, it is important for everyone to adapt and understand on the new adjustment and gain benefit from working at home safely and healthily.
HSE Insights, Issue 8, October 2020
