COVID-19: A FEW TIPS ON HOW TO WORK FROM HOME

As the unofficial president of the “I work from home gang”, I will like to officially welcome everyone who just joined the gang, as a result of the Coronavirus.
Now, believe me, when I tell you working from home can be fun and exciting but on the flip side, it can be equally frustrating and painful.

Don’t get scared! Hear me out first before you run back to your offices. Working from home is liberating and fills me with a sense of freedom. Although I report to a boss who oversees everything, I am in charge of my time and what I do with it.
First thing I do when I wake up from my bed, is to walk to the bathroom to wash my hands and face (those hands must be clean to avoid any “rona” issues). After that, I proceed to brush my teeth and then sit behind my machine.

I love not having to bother about what I am going to wear or worry about traffic in town. I mostly dress in a simple t-shirt and shorts to feel comfortable while I work.

Concerning time management, you have to learn to manage your time well by setting goals and timers. Avoid all distractions especially from social media and calls from friends who may want to share juicy gossip with you(reserve that for after 5 pm)
Sometimes the time moves very fast especially when you have a lot of work to finish. On other days, the time will crawl like a snail and you might get bored out of your mind.

People might also not get the concept of working from home and you might have to explain yourself a couple of times so they don’t think you are lazing around. In my case, I had to explain the concept of working from home multiple times to my relatives and neighbours, but they still don’t understand what I do.

Always save your work as you type on your laptop especially if you have a faulty laptop battery. The lights might go off at any point in time, thus ensure to always click the save button while you work. Believe me, I learnt that lesson the hard way.

Make sure you have a spare data plan as well because the internet could also go off at any point in time. Simply switch to a different network provider once the internet in use goes off or becomes slow. Please don’t bother calling the customer service representative because there is absolutely nothing they can do for you. Well, they will ask you to restart and wait.

For those living with their parents, expect to be sent on errands or perform chores at any point in the day. It is frustrating but remember that is a small price in exchange for the free electricity and food you might get in return.
Closing for the day means moving from your work station to your sofa or couch. No need to worry about traffic, a packed public bus -trotro , sweaty passengers or getting home late.

The downside for me is the untimely power fluctuations but apart from that, trust me, you will enjoy working from home.
I hope these few tips help you work better from home. Remember to always wash your hands and follow all other guidelines that have been given. #Staysafe

BY

Addey Joana