Working from home. How to make it work.

Social distancing is now becoming the new normal in Malaysia and across the world and many of us have traded our office space for living rooms, kitchens and bedrooms.  Our lifestyles are changing and we are having to adapt.  For those of us that are not used to working at home, here are a few ideas to help you stay productive and make your work area at home as functional as possible.

Keep a routine.

Trying to keep a routine that you had in the office can really help you make the transition to working from home a little more seamless. Get up at the same time and start the day doing the same tasks that you would have done in the office. This might be checking your emails, having a cup of coffee or communicating with team mates, via video conference or telephone. In place of your daily commute, you could consider doing some exercise to get your blood pumping for the day.

Create your own work area.

This is not always easy with young kids at home, but if it is possible, try to have a specific spot at home dedicated for your work. It might be at the end of a dining table, a corner in the living room, or a spare bedroom. As much as possible try to choose a spot away from distractions. Having a dedicated work area will help you get into work mode and create some boundaries with anyone that is at home with you. Avoid working from the sofa or bed.

Take full advantage of modern technology

There are some great technology tools which you should consider using which will help you get organised, prioritize tasks and bring structure to your daily routine.  I like to use Todoist, Microsoft Teams and Zoom.

Take breaks

If you are sitting in front of a screen for long hours each day, do not forget to take breaks. Get up from your desk, stretch, have a coffee, and don’t forget to do some form of exercise.  With the lock down in place in many countries, a good old skipping rope comes in handy or follow a body weights routine using aps like Freeletics.

Don’t become isolated

Working from home you may start to feel isolated so it is important to stay in contact with your team and clients. Instead of using the phone, use video conference such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Facetime, Skype to get things done and have human interaction.

Tabula Rasa is based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. We are specialists in designer furniture and offer a wide selection of contemporary reproduction furniture, lighting and outdoor furniture.