Work from Home is fast becoming a new normal. Has it affected efficiency and quality the work deserves? Are we missing the office environ? Have the work schedules we are so used to gone topsy turvy?     Let's take a look at some of the measures that you can take to boost your productivity while working from home to deliver your best.

1. Follow the clock

Just because you're working from home doesn't mean you don't need to maintain a proper work-life balance. Create a schedule and follow it. By defining your working hours and knowing when to sign off, you'll be able to separate personal from professional and deliver efficiently.

2. Set clear ground rules with the people who you share your living space with

You need to explain to your housemates that the office hours are for office only. Just because you are at home doesn't mean you can help out with household chores during your working hours. If you have children, you need to sit them down and explain to them what they can and cannot do during your working hours. Also, try to find a quiet corner in your house to set up your workstation. Busy areas such as living rooms do not translate into good working spaces.

3. Breaks are important

Since you're working from home, you might feel like you don't need breaks, because you're already in your comfortable environment. But that's not true. Working constantly without breaks can significantly lower your productivity without you even realizing it. Therefore, it's best to follow your office break timings. For instance, if your office allowed a lunch break of 1 hour and you're done having lunch in 40 minutes, don't jump into work. Relax for twenty minutes. It'll recharge your creativity and make you feel fresher and more interested in work.

4. Create a permanent workstation

Being at home doesn't mean you should roam around your house with your laptop and work anywhere you want. To deliver your best, you need to maintain a certain level of professionalism - even at your home! Find a well-lit, quiet corner in your home where you can work in peace without getting disturbed occasionally by your housemates. It will give you the feeling of actually working in an office, and also if you're appearing for a meeting, you'll give a much better impression if you're at your work desk than in your bedroom.

5. Get a Virtual Private Network (VPN)

One major issue of working from home is that it has made organizations more vulnerable to cyber-attacks. The high-end security systems that are available at the office aren't usually available at people's homes. Consequently, it becomes easier for hackers to target organizations that are working from home. This is where a VPN comes as an invaluable tool. It creates a secure tunnel between you and the server and keeps your data safe from attacks. You should always use a VPN whenever you're connected to a network that you don't control.

6. Don't let social distancing ruin friendships

Don't take it the wrong way. No one is asking you to go out and meet people against social distancing protocols. But it's also important to stay in touch with people. This is especially important if you're a business owner. Socializing helps create bonds that forge strong teamwork. And as we know, “teamwork makes the dreams work”. Therefore, business owners need to arrange regular team meetings where the employees can socialize with each other and discuss the issues they're facing and measures they're taking to overcome them. However, excessive socializing can also lead to a downfall in productivity. Therefore, make sure to maintain a proper balance between the two.

7. If you're sick, take a day off

People who work from home tend to not take sick leaves because they feel like they're already at home. Well, if your company is allowing you to take sick days, why not take them when you need them. Instead of trying to power through your illness, give your body the rest that it needs. It will help you heal faster. To stay productive in the long term, it's necessary to give your body the rest that it needs.

8. Don't miss out on training opportunities

If you want to advance in your career, you mustn't miss out on training opportunities. Since everyone is working from home, in-person training may not be possible. But, several companies are organizing training workshops online, which might be compulsory or invitational. Many times, people tend to slack off and deliberately miss the invitational workshops. However, attending those workshops and learning more about your domain would only benefit you.

9. Communicate

Communication goes beyond socializing. The larger the company, the greater the number of employees, the greater would be the confusion. Make sure to communicate your about your work to your colleagues so that you aren't unnecessarily overburdened. It could also be a good idea to take the help of work management software, where people can see the work that is delegated to them and others. This will keep the pipeline open and ensure a smooth workflow.

10. Stay optimistic

These are difficult times and given all the chaos and destruction that the Covid-19 pandemic has caused, no one can be blamed for feeling dull or gloomy. But unfortunately, that attitude doesn't help anyone. A positive attitude on the other hand can turn things around. Once you start to believe that you have what it takes to see this through, your chances of survival increase drastically. We are capable of a whole lot more than we give ourselves credit for. So when you go to work, go with the attitude to do something productive; something that would make a difference.

 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

About Geeta Singh

Geeta Singh is the Founder and Managing Director of TYC Communication, a Delhi-based Public Relations (PR) and Digital Marketing agency which has a distinct place in the Marketing and Communications Industry of India.  Geeta is an inspirational leader and a source of motivation to her ever team of more than 50 committed professionals whose collective efforts brought recognition as well as laurels to one of the fastest growing communication firms in India. TYC Communication is among those few PR agencies in the country which have expertise in both traditional and digital landscapes.

Geeta Singh was conferred with The Young Leadership Award at 2nd NIER's National Excellence Awards – 2017, and her organisation, The Yellow Coin Communication is shortlisted amongst “20 Most Promising PR Agencies in India” by Silicon India.

Her impressive ideas and unflinching commitment always helped her to position TYC Communication amongst the most professional PR agencies. Today, TYC Communication feels proud to serve more than 200 reputed brands in different domains in the last seven years. The company has experienced a growth rate of more than 80 percent in the last fiscal and the projected growth for 2019-20 is 150 percent.

Before establishing TYC Communication, she avidly served some of the best media groups in India such as BBC, NDTV, S1 Group, and Dainik Jagran. Her vast experience, undying spirit and commitment to accomplish goals within deadlines have helped many big brands in engendering success.

Born in a traditional family of Uttaranchal where girls are not allowed to take decisions on their lives and are usually thrust into wedlock at a young age, Geeta also faced many cultural and familial challenges. However, her commitment and determination to achieve overcame social stigmas and she went on to get her master's degree in Political Science. She completed a post-graduate programme in Journalism and was trained in reputed media houses. Although her entrepreneurial journey started with many challenges, her passion and singular commitment could not deviate her from her path and she continued her march towards realizing her dreams.

TYC Communication today is not just another communication agency; it's an agency that adopts fruitful changes and supports change makers. Being a sensitive social being, Geeta Singh's heart beats for the have-nots and down trodden. She passionately works with organisations which strive for change.