With the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, many of us have had to adapt to a work from home setup. Even now with some restrictions being eased, there continues to be uncertainty about going back to work, continuing to work from home or working in a hybrid setup, combining the two. Psychologist Kanika Shah of Nimai Healthcare shares tips that can help you efficiently continue remote working.

5 tips to help you work from home more productively

The continued uncertainty, and stress, and the broader context of the pandemic has greatly impacted our professional life. A lot of us may experience unmanageable stress or worry, a lack of connection and reduced productivity. So, in this video we’ll discuss some ways to manage continuing working from home.

Tips to help you ace working remotely

To ensure you have a good work-life balance, it’s important to take stock of your work-from-home routine, and to make necessary changes. Here’s how you can go about it.

• Make tweaks to your work setup at home

When the pandemic started, we may have set up our spaces as a stop gap until we returned to work. Given that this may go on for longer, make your home setup as comfortable and efficient as possible. This can involve investing in good equipment, setting aside a designated workspace, etc.

• Prioritise and schedule tasks

Scheduling can be extremely helpful, especially with the demands of our home lives often coming up during work hours at home. Prioritising tasks, managing your time and setting boundaries can all be useful.

• Set aside time for self-care

In terms of scheduling, another important aspect is setting aside time for self-care, and checking in with yourself. While it can be difficult to find the time and energy to do so, consciously cultivating this habit is helpful for maintaining our well-being in the long-term.

• Cultivate rituals and stick to them

We can also cultivate rituals to start and end the work day. Simple things such as taking a small walk once work is over, putting aside work-related communication or starting the day by wearing work clothes can all add to creating a consistent and stable work routine.

• Seek help and support

Connecting with others and seeking professional help can also be useful in dealing with situations.

• Be kind and patient with yourself

A lot of our reactions are an understandable response of our bodies in such uncertain situations so being kind and compassionate towards ourselves is key in managing ourselves.