With the COVID pandemic, many organisations have asked their workers work from home. This new development has posed a challenge to many Nigerians, who are not used to working from home. Mixing with colleagues, talking about family, fashion, sports and all the habits that were integral to their work lives have been stopped.
While working from home may feel unnatural, it is better to stay home and stay alive than to stay in the office and be exposed to the virus. Working from home is not as bad or as lonely as people make it sound. All you have to do is create a space to be productive, that is all. Here are a few tips to help with that:
- Find a dedicated space in your house. In this space, you will set up your table and chair. Set this space to look like your work desk.
- When you wake up in the morning, dress up as if you are going to work then go to your workspace. This will preserve the feeling of going to work and keep you from lazing around.
- Your colleagues will be home too. It is useful to have video calls to discuss work-related issues. This makes you feel their presence. It is important that your team members see you and hear from you constantly. Therefore, ensure you use a headset and that there is plenty of light in your space.
- While working with colleagues, ensure to co-create a work plan that will help with your work. Talk about expectations for how to work together.
- Working remotely is all about trust and communication. Ensure that the communication flow is not broken. Whenever you have a challenge, do not face it alone. Reach out for assistance.
- There are great tools available for online collaboration. Make the best use of them.
When you follow these tips, you will enjoy working from home. Remember, stay safe. Always wash your hands and clean the surfaces around you as much as possible. Drink lots of water.
Source: Collaboration Superpowers
Photo source: Lars Kristian Flem
