Eight Simple Tips To Make The Best Out Of Work From Home During Lockdown

A new trend has emerged on the sidelines of COVID-19 that has blurred the lines between the professional and personal compass. Work-from-home. According to Ernst & Young, a sudden dip in employee productivity is the number one concern for most organisations and employees are finding it hard to cope with the absence of simple practices that make workdays more interesting - daily commutes to work, typical office setups, in-person meetings and coffee time conversations. It's only human to feel ‘uneasy’ when stepping into entirely new terrain.

So here's how you can beat pangs of isolation using these simple productivity tips inspired by Winston Churchill’s “Never waste a good crisis”.

Nourish leaders

If you’re a startup, now’s the right time to empower your teams and make them self-reliant. Give them rapid exposure, prioritise potential over seniority, and create a sense of security. Leaders should ensure performers are adequately recognised and rewarded as and when the situation demands.

There’s a range of interesting webinars and workshops related to your field. These panels are also great to interact with veterans from your industry.

Build your network

Connect with clients and long term investors to discuss the current scenario, future projects and other plausible collaborations suitable to the “new normal”. It's also advisable to make new connections and grow your networks.

Also Read: Here Are 3 Mindsets To Watch Out For While You Work From Home

Attend virtual events

There’s a range of interesting webinars and workshops related to your field. These panels are also great to interact with veterans from your industry. Give seminars covering general topics such as mental health, career development, etc a try - they might equip you with better life skills.

Finish the unfinished

This is the perfect opportunity to pick the project that needs re-work or the one that demands more of your attention and time. A fresh perspective, old data along with new research could help revive a shelved project. Think about your past investments, analyse the do’s and don'ts, and seek parameters for future investments.

Keep yourself updated - read and write

Revisit articles on your bookmarks bar, or read latest developments and studies related to your field. Research requires effort and it's normal practice to push back reading when there’s a lack of time and patience. Also, focussed writing or journaling during the mornings or before bedtime when there’s less external interference can give you the much-needed downtime.

This is the perfect opportunity to pick the project that needs re-work or the one that demands more of your attention and time.

Learn new skills

Learn something new. The experience of assimilating skills or knowledge will give your body and brain the adrenaline rush it deserves. Some top universities and online platforms offer a range of free or discounted courses - like programming languages, UI/ UX foundation, marketing, business management etc. Your free time learning can progress your work and boost your career with additional certificates. Alternately, take a completely different route and enroll for a course that’s completely unrelated to your current field of work.

Also Read: Women Leaders Are Better At Workplace Than Men. Here's Why

Develop and experiment

Have a prototype you wanted to test? Bring it to the market and measure the response. The world is increasingly adopting digital, so why shouldn’t you!

Physical and mental fitness

Lastly, treat this lockdown as your best chance at getting lean and fit. According to studies, if you repeat an activity for 21 consecutive days, it becomes a habit.

In Summary

Do the things you always wanted to focus on, for a sharper, better, holistic mind and body.

Natasha is an award-winning marketer and founder of The Words Edge. The views expressed are the author's own.