Anuja Lakra April 27, 2020
We are all sailing in the same boat, navigating these new waters which is testing our patience. We have been given the Gift of Time, though it’s forceful but still we can utilize this time in a positive way so that we keep our Sanity Intact.
Behavioral changes after a pandemic like Covid-19 could mean more opportunities for Entrepreneurs to provide meaningful services.
Great minds are at work sitting at home quietly during these tough times, only to emerge back stronger than ever with fresh and useful ideas to provide consumers the best of services when things go back to normal.
In 2008, when The Great Recession hit the entire world and people were panicking or wasting time or maybe just simply did not know how to turn that horrid time into the favorable conditions which might yield them big monetary gains in the future. In those times companies like- Uber, Slack, Venmo, Groupon, Instagram, Pinterest were found. Great minds have no excuses, even when the financial sector was crashing down, founders of these companies were working with a vision and now these are multi-million projects.
So here are some tips which will help in staying calm and positive, so that all the energy can be focused on something constructive. Who knows, maybe you can be the next entrepreneur to create a Unicorn company down the line.
- Wake up at the same time
Do not disturb your body clock. When you work from home, it can be tempting to stay in bed until the very last minute possible.
While it’s OK to treat yourself and do this on the odd occasion, we would advise you to be more disciplined and wake up at the same time every day.
You don’t have to wake up ridiculously early, just set your alarm for whatever time is realistic and works for you.
- Stop Binge-Scrolling on Social Media
We get it that it’s addictive and hard to steer away from our Social Media Feeds but try to avoid this first thing in the morning. Instead, check your emails, LinkedIn and news apps first. To counteract your social networks’ ease of use during work hours, remove them from your browser shortcuts.
- Create your own workspace
Although it’s tempting to stay in bed or head to your sofa, those who successfully work from home agree that you’re best off setting up a station. If you don’t have a desk, use your dining room table. Besides making you feel like you’re at an “office,” this helps you maintain good posture, avoid distractions, and leave your work behind at the end of the day.
- Maintain regular Hours
Set a schedule, and stick to it…most of the time. Having clear guidelines for when to work and when to call it a day helps many remote workers maintain a work-life balance. That said, one of the benefits of remote work is flexibility, and sometimes you need to extend your day or start early to accommodate someone else’s time zone. When you do, be sure to wrap up earlier than usual or sleep in a bit the next morning to make up for it.
- Set Ground Rules With the People in Your Space
Set ground rules with other people in your home or who share your space for when you work. If you have children who come home from school while you’re still working, they need clear rules about what they can and cannot do during that time. Additionally, just because you’re home and can let service people into the house or take care of pets doesn’t mean other family members should assume you will always do it. If that’s how you choose to divide up the domestic labor, that’s fine, but if you simply take it all on by default because you’re home, you may feel taken advantage of, and your productivity may suffer.
- Move your body
Your body needs to move for that brain to work more efficiently. Since we are Staying home during Covid-19, If you have a garden or plants at home-water them regularly. Take a little walk in the backyard or balcony. If you love dancing-Dance! Or shake the leg on a dance workout video on Youtube. You get the idea right, anything that creates endorphins will reduce your stress and make you active and happy.
- Avoid napping
As you try to establish your new routine, it’s important to engage with your natural circadian rhythm – and napping could potentially disrupt this at the beginning. However, if your previous night’s sleep was poor you may feel more tired after lunch. Short naps – less than 20 minutes – can help to restore cognitive function and may make you feel less sleepy.
- Only drink caffeine before noon
We all respond a little differently to caffeine. Because caffeine is a known stimulant, it could influence our sleep by keeping us awake later. So when you are trying to fix your sleep pattern, it may be best to limit caffeine intake to earlier in your day.
- Don’t Be Too Hard on Yourself
The most successful remote employees have a reputation for being extremely disciplined. After all, it takes serious focus to do any full-time office job from an unconventional space. That being said, everyone lets their attention drift sometimes. If you find yourself working one minute and scrolling on Instagram the next, don’t reprimand yourself too harshly. Instead, ask yourself whether people in an office setting do the same thing. If the answer is yes, cut yourself some slack, then get back to work.
- End Your Day With a Routine
Just as you should start your day with a routine, create a habit that signals the close of the workday. It might be a sign off on a business messaging app, an evening Zumba dance, or a 6 p.m. yoga class. Something as simple as shutting down your computer and turning on a favorite podcast or Netflix & chill will do. Whatever you choose, do it consistently to mark the end of working hours.
