If you are one of the many who have transitioned from office life to a work-from-home setup during these times, then you know how hard it is to keep focused on workloads in an environment where you usually relax and recharge. But there is something to be said with a telecommuting setup, and one of those is its convenience.
Working from home will cut commuting time, which invariably means that you have more time to prepare yourself or catch up on sleep. This is very much true to those who travel long distances every day to their workplaces. In this article, we’ve listed down some tricks to make working at home more efficient for you:
1. Instead of a dedicated PDF software, use an online, browser-based PDF tool instead
PDFs, or portable document format, is the standard file extension that’s used for shared files and documents online. This is because the file extension rarely reformats in any type of software it opened with. Since PDFs will be a big part of your work-from-home setup, it’s wise to invest in a PDF software that can do anything from creating, editing, and converting these files. The caveat is, most of the top software for this kind of operation is paid. Or worse, would ask you for a monthly or yearly subscription.
Fret not, though, because you don’t need separate, standalone software for simple PDF edits and conversions like HTML to PDF. An online, browser-based PDF tool like PDFBear that has an HTML to PDF converter is probably all you need. Bookmark the site for your resources, and once the need for a specific PDF edit or conversion comes up, you can easily access the site from your bookmarks folder.
2. Work as you would normally in your office
Easier said than done, but the mindset is key in making sure that a work-from-home setup works. If you usually get up at 7 am for the office, do the same when you’re working at home. Don’t break your routine just because you have more time for dillydallying. You can, of course extend your waking time for thirty minutes or so, but don’t be too overconfident.
If you can, create a semblance of your previous office on your work-from-home setup. Bathe and prepare yourself as you would in your office, but don’t worry about following it to the tee. The beauty of having a work-from-home setup is that you can be laxer in terms of office wear, makeup, and etc. If you usually have coffee first thing in the morning, then don’t stray from that.
3. Minimize distractions
To do this, isolation is key. If you can, set up your home office in a separate room outside your bedroom and living room. If you are living alone, minimizing distractions should be easier. If you have a family, making sure to set boundaries is the first thing you need to do. Having kids interrupt your meetings can be embarrassing, so talk to your kids about your office time.
4. As much as possible, restrict smartphone use
With a work-from-home setup, the usage of a smartphone is likely to increase. And not on work-related things! With no one to supervise you, you need to do it yourself. As much as possible, restrict smartphone use while you are in office time. Don’t be afraid to lock yourself out from social media sites as well, either on your phone or work computer.
5. Automatically schedule Zoom meetings
If you are a key person in your organization, chances are high that you will have Zoom or other platform meetings every day. Working directly with clients, you can automatically schedule daily or weekly conferences with them. If you have a scheduling app, you can connect it directly to your video chatting platform to automate meeting schedules.
Takeaway
Suffice it to say, working-from-home can be a great experience, even more, desirable than an office setup, if you let it be. Be more efficient with these tricks so that you can enjoy more time with your family!
