COVID-19 and Working From Home

With the spread of Omicron as a variant of Covid-19 and the subsequent lockdowns in various states, we yet again find ourselves in a similar situation as 2020 where businesses are temporarily shutting their offices and enforcing work from home as a norm. Though we have all been used to this to some degree, the past few months acted as a respite with sequential openings of workplaces, activity spots and entertainment hubs. While it is imperative that we all abide by the covid restrictions set by the government, here are a few tips which may assist you with both work efficiency and mental health while working from home.

1. Structure & Boundaries: Make sure you have a dedicated workspace. If possible, keep it in a separate room as compared to the one you rest in. Ensure all items like laptops, chargers, notebooks and pens are arranged. You should also set out work timings for yourself depending on the field you work in and ensure all your work is completed within those timings. This will help you maintain a work life balance during WFH Social Interaction: It is important to set out some time in the day for meaningful social interaction. This could be with work colleagues as well as friends and family. Ensure you are not isolating yourself mentally from the people around you.

2. Household chores: Set aside some time in the day for any pending household chores you have been putting off. This could be as simple as cleaning the house or organising different rooms and transforming your space.

3. Take breaks: While it is crucial to practice deep focus especially when working from home, set aside frequent breaks in the day where you can walk around the house, stretch your legs or engage in some hobby to help reset your mind. This will add to your overall well-being as well as improve your efficiency when you are working.

4. Family/Kids: If you live with your family or have children, this is an excellent opportunity to spend quality time with your loved ones. Participate in activities which can be done together like board games, watching TV etc. as well as helping your children in academic and extracurricular activities

5. Communicate: While WFH can seem like a boon at first, elongated periods of isolation can have detrimental effects. In such cases it is extremely important that you communicate openly and freely with our loved ones and colleagues about how you are feeling. Take help where required and also try and ensure you reach out to your social circle to check if someone needs your help as well. We all have to ensure we support each other to make it through these difficult times.

It is indeed an incredibly challenging time for all of us as a collective, and the importance of looking after ourselves and our loved ones cannot be overlooked. We must tackle the reality of today knowing that the future will be brighter if we all progress together. I wish everyone a safe and healthy year ahead.