COVID-19: I realized that some days into the ‘lockdown’, working remotely has been an uphill task. It’s either you are waking up too late, missing out on your workout hour/routine, or not being able to prep your healthy meals, it has been a constant battle. Dressing, suddenly took to the back burner, you find it accidentally ironic to put on some nice comfortable bras and panties under the night shirts and PJs. 

Now, you have finally come to your senses, you must do better ‘Lockdown ‘or ‘Roam the streets’. You must dress right, take a bath (in the morning), smell great all day and look like a freshly baked cup cake, and still be a productive employee. For many companies, employees working remotely has become a norm, it is as a matter of fact a win-win for both parties, striking a work-life balance (if it can ever be achieved) for the employees and costs are invariably reduced for the company as well.

With the effect of COVID-19, there has been a global need to adopt a feasible strategy for employees to work remotely. So you might be wondering, How do I remain productive at home? Since we are so many on this table. Here are some personal tips you should try and see if they can be of any help;

1. Be Disciplined: The importance of cultivating and maintaining the habit of sleeping early and invariably waking up early as well, cannot be overstated. I mean, the Lagos hustle and bustle has been suspended, time and activities have suddenly come to a standstill, So I guess we have ample time to sleep pretty well. Remember, Early to bed, Early to rise.
2. Dress up: Wake up and take a bath, get some nice comfortable clothes ready and slip yourself into them. They could be semi-formal. I naturally will slip into a shirt and a good pair of shorts or leggings while I work. Always remember, the way you dress influences your mood, when you are in PJs, you will feel lazy and want to remain in bed or become a couch potato. Wake up!! and Dress up!!
3. Prepare a to-do-list: You will feel some level of flexibility, you would be able to dictate expectations and increase productivity when you start your day right by ticking off tasks on the to-do list you have created. Work like you would normally do if you were at the office, I even go as far as wearing a wig and jewelries. Remember to enforce a time to go on breaks and a hard stop at the end of the day. Then run your personal errands as you would normally do.
4. Exercise: A very good way to start your day is to exercise for at least 30minutes. The truth is when we exercise, endorphins are produced which increases happiness and your level of interest in your daily activities spikes up as well. and Hey Darling! you want to maintain happiness at this time.
5. Be Punctual: Log in to the meeting room on time, don’t be the weak link. Communicate professionally, try not to eat and smack your lips while the conference call is on, you are supposed to be and act like a professional, It can really be distracting. Do not forget to mute your microphone if you are not speaking, babies screaming and horrid laughs at the background can interrupt conversations. It is also advisable, to dress up properly, just in case the audio calls suddenly flick into a video call. You don’t want to have an embarrassing moment that will linger on for a long time.
6. Turn off: Yes, turn off, turn off the TV, Radio, and as much as possible the social media platforms. Turn them off!! For me, this has been the hardest part, but I observed that I am more at peace and less anxious with all the negative news on every communication platform. They are also a big distraction and reduce productivity, so I am better off without them for a couple of hours.
7. Work Space: Have a clear workspace, away from the bedroom, the living room and obviously away from the kitchen. When I am working in the bedroom, a lot of ideas start zooming through your brain, so I decided to stay away from distraction.
8. Get support: If you cannot afford to take care of the kids because you need to focus on work, and to also enjoy the work-life balance mode. Send your money on errands, have a good support system. A nanny will do and if you are fortunate to have your mother or mother-in-law around, please treat her nicely and watch the magic she performs with the kids. You will be amazed and productive at the end of the day.

Now I know we all differ in various ways, homes, personalities, environment and habits. I suggest that you experiment with any of the tips that suits your lifestyle, in any order of preference. Ignore any that would make you uncomfortable by any standard.

The end game is to be productive.

Article written by Chubbie 

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