stay_healthy_be_productive_wfh-guide

1. Stay Healthy. Be Productive, “Work From Home” Guide

2. INTRODUCTION WFH (Work From Home), the common term for remote working, is here in a rush owing to the COVID-19 outbreak and the need to self-isolate to stop community transmission. While WFH was prevalent in MNCs and IT companies, given the rising importance of self-isolation in recent weeks, many more companies across a variety of sectors are going the extra mile to provide viable WFH options for a, possibly, undefined period. The challenge is that working from home is very different from working from the office. For people unused to working from home. it can become extremely daunting to deliver on their work in the new environment. Bad habits and poor practices can also take a toll on their health. If you find yourself having to work from home, pause and read this guide to learn how to become more productive.

3. Here are some ideas for you to make the most of working from home 01 | Organize your day for work Say no to distractions Follow a schedule Organize home and day for work Stay in touch Productivity matters Follow a schedule Create a schedule for the day and stick to it. When you’re staying at home for an indefinite time, it’s easy to get slack. Define your work hours, like you would at a regular office. It’s important to be realistic about the hours. Build in breaks, just like you would have at the office! Develop SMART goals. For instance, plan to complete all the important work at the beginning of the day when you have more energy and keep the less important tasks for the afternoon. Creating a schedule and being serious about adhering to it will help you be effective. It is important to be result-oriented and focused. Say no to distractions Make sure to tell your family members not to disturb you while you’re at work. Turn off the TV and the music systems. Close the door and physically shut out the sounds of daily life in your home if you have to. Treat the time the same way you do when you’re in office. Stay in touch Working in isolation can be emotionally hard. You should stay in touch with your colleagues and other people over the phone or messages to stave off feelings of loneliness. It’s also important for you to stay in touch with your manager and employer to let him/her know that you’re active and working, just as you would do in office. As they can’t see you right now, providing them with updates and reports will help reassure them. Productivity matters Even as you set a schedule for your activities, make sure to share your schedule with your team leads. This will also help you set work goals for yourself as you try to complete tasks because you would have to report them.

4. 02 | Adopt the right posture - ergonomics matter The right work environment at home will help you avoid wrong postures and prevent MSDs (musculoskeletal disorders). Here are a few tips to adopt the right posture by employing ergonomics in your home-office setup: Advances in technology have made it easy to work remotely but adopting an incorrect posture while working at home can cause some serious issues. While working from home, we tend to be the most comfortable. This can cause us to adopt different postures. We work with our laptop while sitting on the sofa, the bean bag, sitting cross-legged on the floor, and even while lying down. This may affect our musculoskeletal system. the day. The chair that you invest in should have adjustable features like seat heights, armrest and backrest adjustments to ensure maximum comfort, also having excellent lumbar support that is adjustable to keep your back straight. While setting up the home office, we suggest that you adjust the desk at the right height. You will know that you have set proper positioning when you can type on the keyboard with your elbows bent at around 90 degrees. It is important to incorporate ergonomics into your home-office set up. This will help you to improve your efficiency and productivity. You will be comfortable and avoid unnecessary stress and injury. The right work environment at home will help you avoid wrong postures and prevent MSDs (musculoskeletal disorders). In case the desk height cannot be adjusted, you could also make sure that your feet are supported by the floor, or at a footrest. Your knees should be at a 90-degree angle so you can relieve the pressure on your back. Clear your desk (and your environment) Here are a few tips to adopt the right posture by employing ergonomics in your home-office setup: Unfortunately, neither your bed nor your kitchen is the right place to work for extended periods of time. Create a dedicated workspace for yourself to improve focus and reduce distractions. Reduce the clutter around you. Ensure maximum comfort while working for long hours at a stretch. The right desk and chair It may be a good idea to invest in ergonomic chairs and work desks that support different postures throughout

5. Have the right Accessories Improper screen heights are a big reason for sore necks and related issues. You should make sure that your computer screen is level with your eyes, so you don’t have to drop your neck or slouch over to view it. The screen should also be at your arm’s length while typing on the keyboard. You may consider investing in a high- quality laptop stand, an external keyboard and mouse to ensure proper posture at any time. sitting at the same posture for hours, even if you’re using ergonomic seating arrangements, may put a lot of stress on your body and mind. You can also practice some freehand exercises during the breaks to improve your blood circulation and stretch your muscles. Try to stand and work Standing and working for some time reduces the chance of backaches, improves concentration, and helps you work faster. It also aids in burning calories to some extent. In fact, even in office settings, people are considering the value of working for some time from standing desks. You could convert your dresser, an ironing board, or a storage unit into a standing height workstation for shorter periods of time. It’s useful if this is located where electric plug points are available. Smart props If you’re planning to sit on the sofa or a bean bag for a short duration while working, you should maintain a proper position by placing cushions behind your back and beneath the laptop to raise it at the level of your eyes. Avoid slouching at any cost, as it may give rise to back pains and related issues. Take breaks while working every 30 minutes or so and stretch your muscles a bit to prevent them from developing chronic pains. Lighting Choices Sitting in a dark room and staring at the computer screen for long may cause visual stress, discomfort, and give rise to headaches. That will affect your work and your health. Ensure proper lighting in the room you’re working in and keep the windows open to let in natural light. However, if you experience any glare, draw the curtains or shut the blinds at right angles to the windows. While working at night, you may consider setting up a night lamp on your desk. Keep Moving Just as you would do in your office, make sure you move around a little while working for long periods of time. Take coffee breaks, go to the balcony and enjoy the tranquility outside, call a friend to chat a little, or check your mails from your mobile. Move around for a bit, before you set down to work again. This is because

6. 03 | Follow a healthy work-from-home-lifestyle Just because food is easily accessible at home doesn’t mean you should eat unnecessarily while working. Pay attention to your diet. Have nutrient-rich foods and drinks to stay healthy. Make a mealtime schedule Don’t overdose on caffeine Working out is a part of working Junk the junk food Healthy work-from-home lifestyle Junk the junk food Ignore your craving for junk food and refined sugar. If you feel hungry while working, have fresh fruits instead. Don’t consider this a vacation and start stocking junk food at home. Don’t buy those chips, patties, and pizzas. Replace them with fruits, juices, dry fruits, and healthier options. Don’t overdose on caffeine Drinking too many cups of coffee or tea is a big No-No. Have green tea or just some warm water to satisfy the urge to have something and keep yourself hydrated while doing so. Drink lots of water and fluids to stay hydrated. Working out is a part of working Of course, all gyms and yoga centres will be closed. But you should create a regular workout regime at home to keep yourself healthy during this period. Look for exercises that you can do using body weights and readily available equipment. It’s important to stay active despite the seemingly relaxed schedule. Make a mealtime schedule Eat on time! Don’t neglect your nutrition for your work, as it may lead to severe health issues in the future. Sure, you’re now in no hurry to reach your office on time, but there’s no harm in maintaining the same routine as you did on your office days. And remember – Take a break from your work while you have your meal !!

7. CONCLUSION A sudden deep dive into a work from home scenario can take some time to get used to. It’s not easy to establish new habits and practices. While working from home sounds simple and, even, exciting, it does come with its fair share of challenges. Creating a healthy routine of work at home will help you be effective. Start by investing in the right desk and chair. Stay connected with colleagues and friends to reduce any feelings of loneliness that you may experience during this time. Don’t make working from home an excuse for poor working and eating habits. On the contrary, you can use this opportunity to take good care of yourself. With all this in place, your remote working days will be more productive and successful. Stay Healthy and Stay Productive !! Stay stress-free, healthy and safe!