Credible Tips to Keep Efficiency Switching from On-Site to Remote

The current global pandemic and the subsequent lockdown has called for employees to migrate to a remote working system. Some may face difficulties in working from home in terms of decreased productivity and technical problems.

Fortunately, working remotely is not a new concept and a lot of people have done it successfully in the past. Despite constant distractions and the urge to dose off and sleep, how has the remote workforce coped with working from home? Here are some credible tips to keep efficiency switching from on-site to remote working:

Maintain regular work hours

Although working remotely allows for more freedom regarding work hours, you should not stray from your regular schedule. Maintaining regular working hours will result in more productivity and you will have probably be in sync with other colleagues.

If you are a supervisor or manager, consider asking the entire team to continue putting in the same hours they did before.

When employees maintain their regular working hours, their families will know when not to disturb them. Apart from that, it will also create a sense of accountability between yourself and the boss, most likely that will make you get the workload assigned done on time.

You are also alert at those times, making it harder for you to procrastinate tasks while creating consistency. Communicate those work hours with the entire family to ensure that there will be no distractions or problems.

Create a comfortable workspace

Working efficiently and productively at home strongly relies on the workspace you have. If you do not invest in creating a comfortable workspace, there might be serious repercussions on the workflow.

An on-site office is optimized for maximum productivity, everything from the temperature to the seating arrangement. To maintain the same productivity, you should ensure that your home office is not too hot or cold.

The perfect temperature is usually around 21 degrees Celsius, so if you have an airconditioning unit with a thermostat, it might be prudent to set it around that climate. Designate a room or spot in the house as the office and get an office chair and desk you will work on.

If you do not have access to these resources, any comfortable chair and table will do. Mark the office when you are busy and absolutely need no distractions for the rest of the family.

Take constant breaks

“When you are creating your work schedule, ensure that there is enough time to take a rest. At an on-site office, there are times for tea breaks and lunch, so when you are working from home, do not forget to do the same.”- says Susan Gardener, one of the best academic writers online from dissertation writing services.

During that break, do not undertake tasks that could easily veer you off from being productive at work. For example, watching an episode of a thrilling series might not benefit you because one might lead to another.

Also, avoid taking constant naps but rather use that time to have a healthy snack or take a stroll in the garden for a few minutes. That will recharge your batteries and make you feel better and ready to complete the work.

Planning the breaks beforehand helps with limiting the amount of these walks and the nap. You will not have too much or little time allocated to breaks but it will be just right and plan them with your workload in mind.

Keep communicating with other employees

Other colleagues are a strong support structure when working remotely. They remind you of the targets that should be met and suggestions on how that can be done. When working from home, some have chosen to pick a work buddy and to communicate the daily goals they have.

During the day, each one checks up on the other on how they are doing. In projects that require team input, working together using team collaboration and chat tools like Zoom, Skype for Business, etc. can be very beneficial.

Constant communication is very critical when working from home and also brings a sense of being in the office. You can set specific times to check all emails and make certain calls and include them in your work schedule.

Managers and supervisors can set meetings regularly just to ensure that all employees are coping and are not facing any difficulties.

Cling to certain daily routines

Clinging to some daily routines will help add weight to your endeavor of working from home. Although you will not take a subway every morning or get stuck in daily traffic, there are some routines that must be followed.

For example, everyone thinks that working from home allows them to wear their pajamas. Although some do that, it might also hinder their productivity and easily drive them off course with their targets.

Wearing pajamas increases the chances of procrastinating and going back to bed but if you wake up, bath on time and dress up properly, the risk will be lower. Ensure that there are enough clothes to last you a week, just as you would do when working on-site.

Dressing up for work like that will also help you be ready for unexpected video calls that might come in. Ironing and dressing up for work will also make employees feel like they are doing their daily cycles that will lead to not feeling caged inside their houses.

Limit all distractions to increase productivity

There are more ways the productivity of remote workers can be compromised and that could be surfing the net, window shopping online, etc. To avoid these distractions, download apps that block certain websites and apps during work hours.

Some of these apps include Freedom, StayFocused, and Limit. They block out any apps or sites that are not work-related. Remote workers will not be able to use social media or other apps or websites that could meaninglessly waste their time.

Some remote workers have also made a resolution to limit their exposure to personal devices during work hours. Stashing away your personal phone and tablet will go a long way in improving productivity and workplace efficiency.

Also, ensure that the desk and environment you are working in is clutter-free and does not have disturbances. Some may not be digital like printed magazines and newspapers, make sure that there aren’t any of these where you work.

Make progress updates more frequently than usual

Progress updates are very important in any type of work environment but are more essential when working from home. The boss needs to know whether you are still in line to meet the targets set or if more time should be allocated.

If you are a team leader, insist on ensuring that there are progress markers that should be signaled periodically. During the course of the day, call all employees to check up on them if they have been silent for too long. You can also use platforms like Slack to manage the whole team and continually ask for progress updates.

The bottom line

These practical tips can help you start working remotely with success and help reach company targets. Ensure that each day is well-planned and that you are working during work hours. Above that, dressing up for each day will maintain a sort of order and make you have the sense that they are at the office.

Do not forget to limit the distractions you have by using tools that limit the use of your phone during work hours. Communicate with other employees and update on the progress of your work more frequently on the platform used by the company you work for.