To win, some employers have set minimum guidelines for home working. In this part 2, below are some tips and ideas you may consider adopting to make yourself productive. Read part 1, here.
- Be proactive. Do not wait to be guided. If in doubt, ask to be helped. Provide timely communication to your peers and supervisors. Many people working from home may lack the direction of what needs to be done. To win, take the initiative to write to your supervisor your daily priority tasks and remember to provide an update at the end of the day. If daily briefings are not feasible, do communicate weekly or monthly depending on your seniority and size of the organization. Remember, for effective collaboration the more frequent, the better! As a board member, I find chief executives who provide on-going updates on the challenges and opportunities on the ground even just for informational purposes are considered more effective than those who do not! on-going updates remove surprises.
- Make a list of your daily priority tasks and at the end of the day, provide an update of the tasks accomplished. Again, do this as frequently as practical as part of your routine to win.
- Complete all your tasks and update your supervisor on time of the status to avoid delays and cost overruns. It is the staff’s responsibility to communicate the status of the ongoing tasks/ projects. If you find you don’t have to want to do, create it. Check out the reports or meeting minutes or if you can access the company strategy, find priority projects, and come up with a project to deliver value. Don’t fold your hands.
- Maintain your morning routine. Just because you’re not going into an office doesn’t mean you should skip the things that ordinarily set you up for success. Wake at the same time and continue the routine that works for you.
- Repurpose commute time for self-care. The average Ugandan commute time is almost 120 minutes each way. Don’t let this reclaimed time go to waste. If reading, meditating, writing, or exercising aren’t currently part of your routine, now is a great time to try them out.
- Dress for success. Just because you can get away with wearing your pajamas doesn’t mean you should. You may still be interfacing with colleagues, partners, or customers via video. Plus, dressing comfortably yet professionally helps get you in the right mindset to stay productive.
- Prioritize your nutrition and drink lots of water. Maintain focus and energy by avoiding foods with lots of sugars, preservatives, or carbonated drinks. Drink lots of water and be happy.
- Designate a dedicated workspace. Find an environment that fosters productivity. It should be quiet, comfortable, and free of distractions – and different from where you usually eat, relax, or sleep.
- Take time to go outside. Taking breaks is great for your focus and well-being. Recharge by walking around the block or stepping outside on a patio or balcony.
- Conduct as many video meetings as possible. Face-to-face interaction doesn’t have to be a casualty of remote work. Conduct daily stand-ups or team meetings via video conferencing software to maintain that personal connection.
Copyright Mustapha B Mugisa, 2020. All rights reserved.
