Work From Home – Tips from a veteran

I have been working remotely for a few years now, and so I thought this is a suitable time to share a few practical tips.

Dress Up

From day 1, I decided to dress up, just like how I would go to work. Of course, I do have a few cheat days, but believe me, it gives me a lot of confidence, and I am ready to go on webcam anytime.

Dressing up gives you a sense of freshness and makes you feel at the office. To add a cherry on top, you create a personal brand for yourself.

Start early and sign out early

By working from home, you save a ton of time, like the snack break, peer chat, afternoon walks, lunch break, etc. So, you get exhausted much sooner than you work from the office, since you are more focused you burn more calories. Working longer will add to your depression and will eventually build up.

Time Box

One of the most significant issues working from home is you get distracted easily. Your spouse is talking loudly, your kid did something smart, or your fav snack is in the kitchen. To tackle this, try to time box your work. Timeboxing is simple; first thing soon as you log on, block your calendars on what you want to do. Now you have a timeline, and you tend to stick to it.

Social Chat

Another challenge with WFH is you miss the casual chit chats. I regularly spend a few minutes in every meeting socializing. By now, I kind of have learned a lot about my colleagues, their kids, family so on. Sometimes I call just to chit chat. That’s therapy. Humans are meant to be social.

Phone calls over Email

I understand for some, email record is a ritual. But talking to someone over the phone cuts the time by half and is more productive. Don’t forget tip 4; it helps to be social.

Exercise

I tested excessive fat/cholesterol within 6 months of work from home and I was shocked. And it took a while before I got it under control. Do a health assessment every day — you should be able to do 30–40 situps/min, ~30 Push-ups/min, ~45 step ups/per min, 40–50 abs crunch /per min, able to do a cow pose(lookup), able to touch your toes. If you fail the test, you are not doing enough exercise. Disclaimer — this is a test for the 30–45 age group.

Time OFF

Don’t stay late or send emails at 10 PM to impress your boss or show you are working late. Or try to keep your window active to show yourself online. Be yourself, and just be productive. Sometimes, I take a day off simply because I had a stressful week, and that is OK.
So, what do you think? Add your ideas or experience or tips for me.