In one of the previous weeks, I wrote on a few effective ways one can
adopt while working remotely for the team to stay motivated, productive and
accountable in completing their tasks. This becomes highly relevant for the one
who finds himself in a team-handling role. This article would focus more on the
things that need to be taken care of in remote working at an individual level.
The sudden outbreak of pandemic has left many unprepared in embracing
this new way of working. While remote working was offered during pre-pandemic
times as well, it was only provided to a designated few largely based on the
scenario they are into. Such mass adoption of remote working is unprecedented
and so it is vital to discuss those aspects that could negatively affect the
employees. This transition definitely brought some relief in terms of cut-down
of the need to commute, however, working for longer hours under one roof
without much movement and interactions has really taken its toll on employees’
work-life balance & their overall well-being.
Creating boundaries:
The challenging part of work-from-home observed in the last year was an
inability to achieve a clear demarcation between the work-time and the personal
time, given they are living in the same environment during & post office
hours. The commuting time saved has been put back into the work as additional
working hours. These can induce a taxing effect and introduce burnout on their
health and well-being. Employees need to be wary of this and set healthy
boundaries by keeping a regular schedule. Although the daily schedule set may
vary with everyone, sticking to their routine will help them lean into all
their important chores required to foster work-life balance. Not to forget
about introducing periodic breaks in the schedule in order to recharge
themselves. Equally important is to have a dedicated workplace. A physical
boundary can help them reinforce their mental one as well. Having a dedicated
physical place/room for all the chores that they intend to do in a day brings a
lot of clarity, which in turn can improve the chances of completing most of
them and remain productive.
Being social: The
informal talks and exchanges between the colleagues is never the same as it was
when working in a co-located space. The spontaneous interactions and laughs
with the colleagues are completely missing. They were required to build working
relationships and keep loneliness at bay. Hence even while working remotely,
employees need to make special efforts to connect with friends, family and
colleagues. They can use all the modern–day platforms like Skype, Hangouts,
Face time and other services to help them stay in touch. They should be
expressing their fears and concerns to the closed ones to maintain social
equanimity. As it is said, “Shared joy is a double joy; shared sorrow is half a
sorrow” - sharing strengthens us all. They can even be more creative by
leveraging technologies to have virtual exercise sessions, games and parties.
Flexing your muscles:
Remote working has inhibited employees with a lot of physical movements, which
otherwise would have happened during commuting to the office. This can have its
long-term effect on their physical health. Staying active and keeping their
physical fitness under check is an individual’s responsibility. Periodically
moving around your home, doing a couple of regular push-ups, maintaining a
healthy diet, going for a morning walk and having enough sleep can work wonders
in bringing down stress-levels and increasing endorphins. During these times of
crisis, it is essential to keep our immune systems strong and take enough care
of ourselves. Maintaining personal hygiene can also go a long way in keeping
oneself immune from any sort of potential disease one might get contracted
with.
Being aware & informed:
Staying abreast with the current happenings and developments in their field
will help them understand where this crisis is heading towards and what could
be the potential impact on the industry/sector they are involved in. It is
equally important to stay informed on the general topics, especially on the
progress of combatting this virus. News & Information are being
continuously broadcasted and hence they are very easily available at our
fingertips, however, care needs to be taken that its exposure needs to be
limited to our requirement and not fall prey to any false information and negative
rumors which might cause anxiety or panic. Hence it is advised to rely on
trusted and authoritative sources for authentic news and information and limit
other media consumption.
Making Personal space:
Navigating through one’s routine to create a space for enjoying one’s hobbies
and other personal activities will go a long way in combatting burnout and
maintaining one’s wellbeing. Employees should also involve themselves in a lot
of recreational activities like meditation, journaling, reading, yoga, listening
to music, a brisk walk, etc. which needs to be done whole-heartedly with
purpose. This can stand them in good stead when they are in the midst of an
intensely stressful task during the day. Engaging in such activities can give
them pleasure and let them distract from other day-to-day stresses. They should
also reserve a dedicated time only for their loved ones and family members in
order to lighten the overall atmosphere that is comprised of both professional
and personal life.
Organizations can develop ways to help their remote employees in these
areas by inculcating a few ideas as a part of their company’s culture. In one
of Gartner’s poll, around 90% of HR leaders said that the employees would be
allowed to work remotely even post roll-out of vaccines. This clearly shows
that Work-From-Home (WFH) would be the new normal and hence it becomes
imperative for the employees to take adequate measures to safeguard their
physical, mental and emotional wellbeing and prevent stress and burnout.
Thanks a lot for reading and feel free to comment.
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