Telecommuting is a new way of working that allows you to work without being tied to a location. Recently, as a countermeasure against the coronavirus, many companies are implementing telecommuting for the safety of their workers. Although telecommuting has many advantages, it is not easy to separate work from housework and childcare in the living space. In fact, many office workers who work from home face problems such as blurring the line between work and life and a decrease in work concentration. In this article, we present five tips to increase efficiency and reduce the factors that are likely to slow down work productivity in telecommuting.
Table of Contents
1. Secure a space where you can concentrate on your work.
To effectively focus on your work while telecommuting, it is important to have a space where you can focus on your work. Choose a room or space where family members, especially children and pets, are less likely to enter and provide a desk and chair that is comfortable for sitting for a long time to create a comfortable work environment.
Keeping your desk as tidy as possible will also help you focus on your work. Books or photos on the desk can be a factor that obstructs the view, so move it to another space, and focus on work time by placing only essential office supplies, such as essential work-related documents, work phones, and notes, on the desk. It’s good to lead. This also reduces unnecessary movement and movement.
2. Work in professional attire.
Working from home allows you to work in comfortable clothes without having to change to work. However, if you go to work in clothes that take a break from your daily life, it can easily break the boundaries between life and work, which can interfere with your ability to focus on work. Since the key to productive telecommuting is to perform the same work as in the office, it is recommended to wear the same clothes as when working from home or to wear clothes that allow you to go out to create an office-like work atmosphere.
3. Make a work plan.
In telecommuting, you have the flexibility to manage your own time, but if you do not have that much work plan, your work efficiency will decrease and you may end up leaving the office later than when you go to the office. Therefore, it is important to follow the same work schedule as to when you go to work and manage your work hours. In order not to obscure the concept of working hours, start work at the same time as you normally go to work, and set breaks and lunch breaks at the same time to manage your own work time.
Having a work plan in place can help you stay organized and motivate. When establishing a work plan, allocate specific tasks by time, and strive to accomplish tasks within the given time. For example, you can use your work time more efficiently if you subdivide your work plan for the day, such as checking e-mail and calling customers in the morning, and meeting and market research in the afternoon.
4. Get enough rest.
For productive telecommuting, it’s important to take regular breaks between work to recharge. Take a short break, such as moving your body lightly, stretching, ventilating and drinking coffee, to relax your mind and prepare you to focus on the next task.
Taking a short walk at lunchtime or getting some sunlight to replenish vitamin D, talking with friends, or eating lunch can help relieve stress and improve concentration at work.
5. Balance work and life.
For effective telecommuting, it is important to separate work time and life. Just like separating work spaces without putting personal items in them, work time should be clearly separated from personal time so that you can balance work and life. When you’re done, turn off your computer and leave your workspace to keep your work data or overtime out of sight.
If you have family or roommates, it is also effective to share work hours or meeting schedules in advance. This way you won’t be disturbed by your concentration hours or important phone calls and video conferences, and you can spend meaningfully planned time for family and friends after work.
