Remote Working and its Hassles
Rewind to about 50 years ago. Think about the days when being at work meant being confined to the work chair inside your cabin or cubicle. With stringent rules at work, one had to leave home as per a routine, and travel to the office, however far it may be, and stay there for hours. Which also meant that there was a stipulated time for work and also for the family.
Fast forward to today. The work culture around the world has seen a significant change. A large number of companies and individuals are ditching the strict office routines and adapting the flexible option of remote working. WFH has gained even more popularity especially after the Covid pandemic hit last year. The lockdown period forced almost everyone around the world to work remotely, eventually proving the scope and efficiency of this concept.
WFH not only gives flexibility and comfort to the employees, but the organizations also benefit from this. While the latter save on operational costs, the employees too have a lot of great things on their plate.
You save on travel, be it time or money. You can allocate that time to personal well-being or any personal todos. Also, you get to work in the comfort of your home. It even gives you the flexibility to work from not any place that suits your requirements. It can be home, ourdoor cafes, restaurants, and even anywhere. All you need is your workstation and a comfortable surrounding, and you’re good to go!
But WFH isn’t as goody goody as it looks. It has its own downsides. So many people complain of blurring boundaries between their personal and professional lives. When you work from home, you often appear available to family members, because “yeh toh ghar par hai”. They might mistake you for being free when you’re actually working. Things like, “Arey do minute bahar aana, kuch kaam hai. Zara darwaze par dekho kaun hai. Guests aaye hain, zara baitho unke saath. Koi baat nahi, wfh hi toh hai, thodi der mein kar lena.” etc, etc are heard many a time. This directly impacts productivity.
Sometimes the office work/calls stretch out of office hours leading to nothing but stressed and unmanageable routines. Struggling through the pandemic has anyway been stressful for everyone, so they have gone long way into understanding and being compassionate towards each other, but only to mess up. Work management has gone for a toss with over-expectations. For example- “I trust you, you will manage”. Unfortunately, this is a case of empathy gone wrong.
Another culprit is self. Having too much time to yourself but not having a proper routine, can become your enemy if you don’t use the time judiciously. Ultimately, due to a lot of such reasons — A not-so-proper office setup, extended work hours, missing out on meals, not having mental breaks, etc., this concept of WFH has not gone very well with a lot of people. More so, they are longing to return back to their normal office routines.
There are many great things one can grab from working remotely. It’s only best to take care of a few things and get them right. Here are a few tips which can help you make the most of it :
- Plan your work. Always make a schedule for the day and divide your work into small parts. Doing this will make your day smooth and work will not spill over into your personal life.
- Don’t break your routine. Maintain a time for waking up and going to bed. Start and finish your work on time. A bad routine is likely to mess up things for you. Being consistent is the key! Try to manage your routines the same as every day.
- Have your meals on time. Eat your breakfast and lunch on time. Yes, those calls and meetings and presentations, all can wait (enough to let to squeeze time for supplying fuel to your mind)! This might be one of the most heard and underrated suggestions, but definitely worth it!
- Do not stick to your workstation all the time. Strict No. Working from home in no way means that you should not get up and relax in between. Taking breaks(mental and physical)is as necessary at home as at the office. Keep taking breaks, and unwind!
- Be transparent with your family members about your availability. Tell them in advance how packed your day is going to be. This will help you remain focused during the day.
- Lessen the consumption of social media. The absence of social interactions and office environment might lead to social media becoming your partner. Instead, try getting up from your chair, do some stretching, or maybe go for a 5 min break. Talk to a friend or family member. Or best, pick up a book or magazine to break the boredom.
- Say no to unnecessary snacking. Just sitting and binge eating unhealthy snacks might satisfy your hunger pangs but not going to help your health. Watching your daily eating habits will be of help!
- Don’t forget to drink water, lots of it! We often forget to drink water when we’re engrossed in the daily hustle and bustle. But hey, it’s better to realize and change some habits when you’re given a chance to work as per your comfort.
- Avoid unnecessary stretching of work. Really important! Try to do only as much as you planned, unless unavoidable. Don’t get carried away with the flexibility and try to balance professional and personal life.
- Exercise. A very major part of life, that often takes a backseat for many people in busy routines. Remember the key to a healthy life is not just a healthy mind but a healthy body as well.
Some things are easier said than done. But when done, they can be one of your most valuable actions. Use the flexibility of Remote Working in the right manner and it will be a productive and enjoyable experience for you. While the work should remain unimpacted, use the time leverage to do the things that you love — pick up and explore some hobbies, and things that require and desire your attention — family, friends, health, fitness. To bring the best out of something, there’s always a perfect recipe and iif you master the recipe, you’re good to go!
Happy WFHing! :)
