How to Work Effectively from Home, by Dr. Funke Baffour

To achieve a sense of peace, we need balance; a balance between work and play, between action and patience, spending and saving, laughter and seriousness, leaving and staying’ – Vex King, Good Vibes, Good Life.

What was once a luxury, has now become the norm. Why? Necessity. The safety procedures put in place amidst the pandemic are well documented and should be followed accordingly.
However, I have spoken with many people who have been working from home and I have observed a consensus that they feel as if they are working more, now that we are working remotely. With the abundance of communication technologies, there is increased remote access and this allows for a manageable transition between physical attendance and remote attendance. Obviously, the increased pressure on individuals is not beneficial and may have short and long terms effects on productivity, output and most importantly wellbeing. Here are some tips that may help you manage the stress of working from home.

GENERAL TIPS
Define essential tasks the night before.
Working in a clear structure is paramount for the management of tasks and the stress that comes with it. An unstructured system that writhes with spontaneity and unpredictability takes a toll on our mental state mind; as it feels as if we may be putting out fires all day long. However, when you set out a controllable target for the day it will make you aware of the tasks that need to be done. Also having a visual list of tasks will reaffirm the importance and provide a boost of serotonin when the task is completed.

Designate a place of work In the home
Your home workspace is vital for differentiating your home life from your professional life. Not everyone has the luxury of a home office but a mindset challenge rather than a financial one. Designate one area of your home to work from. This space should be fairly comfortable, with a decent chair. Since you will be spending a considerable amount of time there, try to make sure you feel comfortable there. Associating this area with work, and only work helps condition the mind for work and disassociates other areas such as your bed. It is imperative you have separate functions for different areas of the home as if you work from bed during work hours when it is time to rest you may find yourself still concerned about work.
Use techniques that work for you.

One of the key ways to work effectively is to truly know yourself. Set up a reward system as a way to self-motivate. For example, ticking off a completed task increased production of serotonin in the brain. Working from the home technique that is designed to minimize distraction as well as increase productivity is the Pomodoro technique. A popular method for people working from home is the pomodoro technique. This learning and of productivity method works by periods of intense focus on one task followed by a short rest period. This process is repeated for about 4 sessions then a longer break is usually required. Each focus sessions usually last 20-25 minutes and the short rest periods are usually 5 minutes. The longer break would typically be around 30 minutes. People usually use timers to track the time whilst working as it is easy to lose track when in intense focus mode. A popular app for the Pomodoro technique is Forest, a timer app that stops notification from working whilst the timer is ongoing.

Minimize distractions
In times such as these, where everybody is working from home, quality time to do your work may be hard to come by. Therefore, we must to what we minimize the distraction we can control. For example, do not work in front of the television. Furthermore, control your social media, mute all unnecessary notifications and if possible, turn off your phone entirely. To block out external noise plug in some earphones and listen to ambient music or white noise.
Identify the goal and give yourself deadlines.

Create a to-do list for all the tasks you have to complete by the end of the day. Set daily goals and strive to achieve them. Identify how the tasks at hand help in achieving your long term goal. This may serve as a way to motivate you.

Stick to a work routine
One of the benefits of working from home is flexible working hours, identify your high productivity hours and create a routine based on it; dress as if you were at work, it will get you into the right mindset for work. Sticking to a routine will help you feel more systematic and efficient, as well as help in keeping attention focused.

Focus
In order to prepare the mind to focus, one should visualize themselves practicing the task, in the best possible conditions rather than concerning themselves with the outcome of the task. Imagine performing the task excellently and effortlessly, overcoming all challenges. When you feel your interest beginning to plummet, step away from the task, take a break and refuel your energy.
There is no such thing as multitasking. The brain cannot split its focus on two tasks at once. Instead, the brain may switch between tasks. Constant task switching is the opposite of focus. Highlight one of the essential tasks you wrote down the night before and focus on that. Before you move on to the next thing, pause intentionally, take a deep breath, and revel in the completion of the task.
Start each morning with exercise.

One of the core things that can be done for your brain is to begin each day with exercise. Exercise naturally elevates endorphins, increasing satisfaction and interest levels, all of which are necessary for productivity. By pumping blood all around the body it stimulates the mind and gives a sense of readiness to conquer for the rest of the day.
Use nootropic herbs.

These are herbs or nutraceutical agents that heighten memory, concentration, focus, and learning while mitigating and protecting against cognitive decline. An example is Rosemary and ginkgo Biloba . Tea is often brewed from these plants by basically just boiling in water.

CONCLUSION
Working from home successfully is possible. Both employers and employees stand to receive a lot of benefits from it. However, it is imperative that the necessary measures and guidelines are put in place, thoughtfully, so as to yield astounding results.

Dr. Funke is a psychologist, nutritionist and author. She specializes in mental health and wellbeing.

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