Work from home is trending these days, because of the outbreak of coronavirus. People worldwide are working from their homes so stay safe and balance their work-life as well. If you are working remotely and new to this area of work, this article has got you covered!

Follow these tips to maximize your efficiency and stay productive even during this situation:

Fix regular hours- Make sure you have a schedule and you stick to it positively. If you want to maintain a good work-life balance, you must know when to work and when to end the day’s shift. Remote work can be flexible, but you need to understand that maintaining regular hours of work is extremely important. This way, you can keep your personal and your professional life separate. 

Fix a morning routine- If you are working remotely, you must have a really good morning routine. In order to get productivity, you need to sleep on time and wake up on time. A bad and lazy morning routine can decrease your efficiency. What you do in the morning defines your entire day’s mood and behavior. Your morning routine should be a good and active one. 

Make one to-do list- Create a to-do list for yourself. Write down your tasks and keep ticking them as and when they are finished. A to-do list will keep track of the work you did and you will not miss out on anything important. When working remotely, this is the most important step as you tend to forget your tasks when you are in your comfort zone. 

Never work in your PJs- Working in your PJs will kill your productivity. You can never flourish in a zone of comfort. Take a good shower before you start working and dress up for your work, even if it seems strange. You can only work when faced with hardships. 

Don’t sit in your living room to work- We know it is a tough thing to do, but if you want to maintain your productivity and work efficiently, you must sit in your study room and work. If you are in your living room, chances are that you will easily get distracted by what others are doing around you and this will decrease your productivity. 

Stream some music- To get rid of the monotony, you can stream some music that suits your work type. Keep listening to the music and continue your work. Keep working and don’t get distracted by other digital things like television or your social media on the phone. 

Eat healthy snacks- Even though you have full access to the kitchen when working from home, you must only eat healthy snacks and meals. If you eat something too heavy, you may start feeling sleepy or lethargic. This will kill your productivity. Eat some things that refresh your mood and help in keeping you awake, as your bed can tempt you a lot when you are working from home. 

Set alarms- When you are working from home, and you are confined to just one room or one corner of the house, you tend to lose track of time. Set specific alarms for your lunchtime, your breaks, and for the time your shift is about to get over. Start tracking your productivity this way. 

Exercise on a daily basis- Don’t compromise your health at all. To keep yourself fit and active, fix a workout routine. Exercise every day to keep yourself moving, so that you don’t lose interest in your work and feel like you have variation in life. 

Buy good office furniture- Invest in a good desk and chair, or maybe a table lamp or a laptop stand. Buying office furniture will give you a feeling that you are working in an office, and will not make you lethargic. If you sit and work on your bed, you will definitely fall asleep. Only go to your bed, when you are done with your work or you are taking a break. 

Stay in good contact with your colleagues- When working remotely, you tend to lose touch with your co-workers. Don’t make this mistake. Stay updated about each other’s work life and stay in touch off-site. 

Take breaks when you need - Don’t hesitate in taking breaks if and when you need them. Working from home can be exhausting as it is quite a new concept for all of us. Don’t be too harsh on yourself. Fix certain hours every day that you think you need a break. 

Step out of your house- Work from home requires you to stay at home till your shift gets over. Make sure you take some time out in between your shift or after your shift get over and step out of your room and your house. Go for a walk outside, or spend some quality time with nature. Breathe some fresh air and play your favorite sport if you wish. Give some time to yourself outside the house, as staying in one place all the time can completely exhaust your energy. 

Get enough rest- When you are working from home, you must make sure that you are getting enough sleep and giving your body enough rest. If your body is exhausted, your mind won’t work at all. 

Be flexible- Don’t be too rigid. The advantage of working from home is that you can work flexibly. If you have to complete a target of 100 today, work on 50 and take a power nap. Get back to your work after the power nap. You won’t get exhausted and it will also, in turn, increase your productivity.

Practice your hobby- If you have a hobby, make out some time every day to practice the same. This way you won’t get bored of working and your mind will also get refreshed. A hobby is something you like doing, and when you do something you like, it freshens you up. 

Reward yourself every now and then- If you have completed a given task on time, or you have achieved your set target, then make it a point to reward yourself. Watch a favorite movie or treat yourself to some delicacy. This practice will keep you motivated even when you are working remotely. 

Explore your productivity periods- When you are working from home, you tend to get comfortable and cozy. This can reduce efficiency. Discover which part of the day you are most productive. Then, plan your work accordingly to get maximum efficiency. 

Stick to one project at a time- Don’t take up too many projects all at once, just because you think you can work more if you are at home. If it is a bit much on your plate, you will definitely make a mess out of your work. Focus on the quality in preference to quantity.

Structure your day- If you have a 1-hour break from work, structure it accordingly. Go finish some errands during that time, see a doctor if you have an appointment, or feed your pet. This way you will have a sense of productivity throughout the day. 

Work from home is fun. You just need to get the hang of it!

Also Read: This is how you can establish a remote work culture