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The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we conduct our lives and work. Leisure, airlines, casinos, and other non-essential business industries have forcibly been shut.
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we conduct our lives and work. Leisure, airlines, casinos, and other non-essential business industries have suffered either complete shutdowns or are currently operating at minimized capacities.
To keep the other industries afloat and help build the economy, especially those in the corporate sector, a new work setup was introduced.
Big and small businesses have seen the potential of remote work to be the preferred work setup of the future. In a survey conducted by Mercer (2020), 94% of employees working from home manifested the same or higher level of productivity compared to when they were working on-site.
The high percentage did not come as a surprise since there are much more pros than cons with the telecommuting lifestyle. Remote workers do not have to commute, and they are saved from office politics, experience fewer distractions, achieve a higher quality of life, and better overall work-life balance.
But how can you maximize these benefits and make sure all balls are at your court all the time? Here are a few ways:
Establish a conducive workspace.
To minimize noise, nuisance, and potential distractions, you must situate your home office in a quiet corner or room where you can be at peace and focus on your work.
Make sure your desk is uncluttered, amply lighted, and well ventilated. You want to mimic a physical office environment. If it helps to play some lo-fi music to imitate the office lobby atmosphere, you have the liberty to do so.
Draft a daily schedule.
This tip is meant to allow you to work on a schedule you are comfortable with. Remote work is flexible work, but it demands you to be a disciplined self-starter to stay true to your job function. Keeping a schedule allows you to have an organized WFH set up, condition your mind, concentrate when it is time for work, and have fun when it is time to play.
Make smart lunch choices.
Especially during lunch, you must help yourself to a healthy meal. Food gives you energy and nutrients to keep your body and brain effectively working throughout your day at the home office. Do not make the mistake of eating heavy and then find yourself sleepy continuing your shift.
Try out a new hobby in your free time.
Now is the perfect time to try the hobby you have deferred for a long time. It can be a crash course in painting, learning a new language, or even gardening. Hobbies oblige you to take some time out and make you declutter your mind so you can come back to your workspace with a renewed sense of purpose.
Take a vacation.
As a remote worker, you can kill two birds with one stone while working on a vacay, but that is not a requirement if you want to take advantage of your paid-time-off time. The remote workplace culture encourages mental health breaks to decrease burnouts, boost happiness and increase self-motivation. Most employers with a remote workforce believe these benefits will reflect in your productivity and efficiency when you get back to work.
Go out and get social
Through socializing, we can express our emotions, feelings and build relationships over time. Even if say you are an introvert, you cannot disregard the fact that the vast majority humans will always be social creatures. When the job gets stale, stressful, and overwhelming, you need the company of your friends to boost your self-esteem and morale. Go out and invite someone for a cup of coffee and banter about how work has been going for the past few months. You can both learn from each other’s experiences.
Save your money.
Remote work pays competitively, and you must manage your money wisely. Having yourself insured can protect you should there be a financial emergency. Financial stability is essential, but this should not strip off your privileges from your hard-earned money. Use the 50/30/20 budgeting rule in which you dedicate 50% of your income to pay for your needs, 30% for all your wants, and 20% for your savings.
Find ways for professional development.
To build your confidence and credibility, you must lean on lifelong learning. There is always something new to learn within the industry you work, and other relevant fields. Best practices, techniques, and trends are helpful to stay relevant and in the know. Massive online open courses or MOOCs are available, and they are there to help you improve and master your field.
Live your best life.
As someone who has a job in these challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic, you should celebrate it by being grateful. Always choose to see the beauty in things. To truly feel good about yourself, you must have a positive outlook on life. It will take a lot of self-love and care efforts to reach your full potential and carry out the best version of yourself.
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