It’s safe to say that businesses around the world have been impacted by COVID-19. Because of the pandemic, many businesses have been forced to send their employees home to work, resulting in employers and employees alike needing to complete work effectively while remote. Although technology can ease many of the challenges associated with this work arrangement, staying productive while working from home isn’t always easy. If you’re finding it hard to stay on top of your tasks or meet your deadlines while working from home, here are a few tips to help.
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Remote Working Tips
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- Work out a schedule with your family
It’s likely that you’re not living alone, but living with other people who are working remotely or with your children who are unable to go back to school just yet. If that’s the case, you need to work out a routine that allows you to take care of your loved ones while having enough time to complete your work. If you have a spouse, perhaps one of you could work in the mornings and the other work in the evenings. You could even wake up an hour or two earlier to get work done while the house is quiet. Find what works best for you and communicate this to your family.
- Designate your own workspace
Although you may be more comfortable working from the couch or bed, these spaces don’t encourage you to be productive. Perhaps you need to set up your laptop at the dining room table, or – if you’re lucky enough – take over the spare bedroom. Ensure that you have all you need on hand, including your laptop charger, paper, headphones, and plenty of light.
- Eliminate distractions
Hopefully, the schedule has allowed you to eliminate some distractions from your family. Digital distractions, on the other hand, are another hurdle. It’s tempting to check social media now and again or browse through online stores. To keep these digital distractions from getting the best of you, block websites from your browser and disable social media alerts. Save these tasks for the evening, once you’ve logged out of work for the day.
- Try meal prepping
You can’t just walk down the street for a quick lunch with the co-workers. When working from home, mealtime responsibilities fall on your shoulders. Meal prepping is a great way to stay ahead of the game while enjoying a delicious and nutritious meal. Try chopping up veggies and preparing meals on the weekend for the week ahead.
- Have office hours if possible
If your employer will let you, set specific hours for when you’ll be available. Getting your professional work done is important, but so is maintaining that work/life balance that makes life fun. Make sure you’re not working into the evenings if you were supposed to log out at 5pm, and stick to work hours as much as possible.
Working from home comes with its own set of challenges, but it doesn’t have to put you behind in your professional or family life. At CAV Insurance Agency, we work with each business to help protect their hard work. Serving Wellesley, Arlington, Natick, Concord, Cambridge, and neighboring towns, contact us today on 781-237-4107 for a reliable commercial insurance policy. We continue to support businesses during this difficult time.