A Beginner’s Guide: How to Work from Home

Everyone expects their first day of work to include some sort of fanfare, but that does not mean you cannot enjoy working from home!

Everyone expects their first day of work to include some sort of fanfare. Perhaps you imagined yourself all dressed up to the nines and being introduced left and right by your new boss. Maybe you were looking forward to having your own work cubicle and getting to know your next-door (or partition) neighbour. Or possibly, the idea of just being in an office setting with a dynamic team, brainstorming campaign ideas and coming up with real-life solutions, excites you.

Unfortunately, life has now thrown us a curveball and that scenario is more likely a dream than reality. Living in a society barely out of a pandemic (or still struggling with it, depending on the situation) means working from home (WFH) will continue to be the norm.

Chances are, on your first day of your first job as a fullfledged working adult, you will just roll out of bed, comb your hair and settle down at your laptop before being introduced to your new colleagues via an online platform. Or you start your first day at work in a virtually empty office while your boss and HR manager go through with you your onboarding process.

It might sound like a bummer start to your working life, but that does not mean you cannot enjoy WFH. It can be just as fulfilling, rewarding and fun as working at the office, if you know how to make it work. If you are new to WFH, here are some basics you should grasp.

Act

like you are going to the office

It is tempting to sleep in, wake up five minutes before work starts and drag your feet to the computer. But you are unlikely to be more awake or motivated to work with that extra hour of sleep. Instead, the first step to a successful WFH experience is to pretend you are going to the office. Make it into a routine and you will soon find it will not be a drag to get out of bed for work at all.

So, make an effort to wake up at the same time every day, have breakfast and dress up for work. You can even squeeze in an early morning workout to shake off the last dregs of sleep and prepare for the day ahead!

Be

in the zone

Being in a conducive working environment does wonders for your productivity and motivation. Obviously, this means not working from bed and maintaining a dedicated workspace instead, even if you do not have your very own office at home. Decorate it with your favourite toys, photos of your friends and family and printouts of inspirational quotes to perk your day up. Remind your family to give you space and let you concentrate on your work during office hours. If you do not keep a lid on the small distractions, it can quickly spiral out of control.

Quick tips to minimise distractions

• Stay away from social media and online shopping sites

• Keep your workspace clutter-free

• Put on noise-cancelling headphones and listen to classical music (or instrumental songs)

• Lock your door if you have your own home office

If you are in the zone, you will be able to cross off completed tasks from your to-do list. The more you do, the more productive you will be. But there is more to the art of just ticking items off your list; you have to know how to prioritise the important tasks as well.

Experts have also agreed that doing the hardest task first in the morning allows you to take it easier the rest of the day, and puts you in a better mood, which increases productivity.

Quick Stay in the zone Stay within your boundaries

• Master time boxing (e.g. take a five-minute break after every 25 minutes of work)

• Create a “do-not” list of things you should not do in the middle of your tasks

• Schedule your day according to your productive hours

You

It might feel like you are alone, isolated as you are at home, but you are not. The onboarding process is tougher than usual when it is done virtually, and you may not be able to learn as quickly or as easily on your own. Relying on your colleagues on video calls or emails is time-consuming as well.

It is much more challenging, but solutions are there. Do not give up, and do not be afraid to keep reaching out to your boss or colleagues to clarify any matters that you are uncertain about.

Quick

• Invite colleagues to online brainstorming sessions

• Stay socially connected with friends and family

• Do not work in silence all the time (listen to music)

• Look out the window and take in nature during break times

• Consider taking a short walk around your neighbourhood daily

• Stop working during meal times and eat with your family

Although you will cut down your commute time, you are more likely to overwork during WFH than when you go to the office. This could be attributed to receiving work chat notifications and emails at all hours, or simply lacking productivity during the day, and making up the hours to meet deadlines by working beyond office hours.

Whatever the reasons are, it is important for physical health and mental well-being to keep working hours in check to avoid burnout.

Quick tips to avoid overworking at home

• Prioritise tasks and work on them in realistic time frames

• Say “no” if necessary

Conclusion

Finding what works for you takes patience, resilience and lots of practice. Do not be so hard on yourself if you cannot instantly find your flow when it comes to WFH. Every time you find a method or process that does not work for you, do not take it as discouragement, but rather learning something new about yourself. Keep at it, and before long, you will receive the fanfare you have always imagined – but this time, for being good at your job!