View this post on Instagram

 

The life of a working professional is no longer what it used to be.

With the outbreak of COVID-19 and frequent lockdowns, a “work at home” arrangement has become the accepted norm. However, staying at home during a lockdown becomes quite depressing.

It’s a life where there is no eating out, visiting theatres, or even meeting up with friends. However, just by practicing the following tips, I can boost my productivity enormously during these lockdown times.

Trust me, you also can equally benefit from these techniques:

1. Speak to one person a day. Lack of interaction can literally kill us. Ensure that in a day you speak to at least one person over the phone. It can be your friends, relatives, or neighbours. Anyone who is not from your work sphere. In my case, the phone calls helped me get in touch with my long-lost friends. The Zoom calls with school and college friends helped me refresh all those old good times. As studies suggest, for building connection, it’s not really necessary to see the other person. Just hearing their voice can help us connect with people.

Hearted by

cancel

Name

Email

Website

Δ

2. Learn a new skill online. Have you ever attended an online course? Since childhood days, I was quite passionate about writing. However, due to several reasons, I could not pursue a career in writing. During the initial days of lockdown, I enrolled in an online course in content writing. A year later, doing that course helped me make a career switch. Nowadays, I work as a freelance content writer and blogger.

Try learning a skill that you are really interested in. It will help you get rid of the boredom when you are forced to stay at home. Experience the joy and happiness of doing something that you love to do. No wonder that the online learning network Coursera witnessed 10 million new users joining the platform between mid-March to mid-May.

3. Spend more time reading. Do you feel stressed out by a heavy workload and too many deadlines? Reading can reduce our stress levels by as much as 68 percent. Unlike earlier times, we don’t have to travel to the office. No more hassles of getting stuck for long hours in traffic blocks. Utilise that spare time by reading more. Earlier, I used to just skim through newspapers. However, now I spend more time reading and try to go in depth. It also helps me with polishing my writing skills. Just don’t limit your reading to newspapers. It can be fiction, business magazines, or any area you are interested in.

4. Play your favourite sport. Being confined within the boundaries of your home can be quite boring. Do you miss those tea breaks and chitchats outside the office? Studies show that outdoor activities can boost our mental health significantly when compared to those played indoors. Spend an hour playing Badminton or any other outdoor game of your choice. It’s not just about fun. Apart from feeling more energetic, it will also help you get deep sleep at night. An hour of Badminton with my sister helped me lose weight as well.

5. Cut down that WhatsApp time. Our work already demands we be glued to the laptop for long hours. Browsing our smartphone often can make us feel more tired. Make a conscious attempt to reduce your screen time. If it’s really necessary to check WhatsApp or Telegram, install the web versions of the applications on your laptop. Once in a while check for updates. At least that way, you can bring your smartphone usage down to a minimum.

6. Take a stroll. A study conducted during Covid shows that people who spent time excessively in front of their screens have higher chances of eye strain. At least every half an hour, take a break from work. Keep a reminder so that you don’t forget this part. Just take a stroll in your courtyard for five or 10 minutes. It makes you more active when you resume your work. Moreover, it will be quite relaxing for your eyes as well.

7. Practice breathing exercises. Years back, I had enrolled in a course in meditation and breathing exercises. During the pandemic times, it helped me a lot in staying focused. As you know, there is depressing news all around. Practice breathing exercises regularly so that they will help you think positively. As per experts, deep breaths can enhance the amount of oxygen entering our bodies.

With the pandemic showing no signs of abatement, going back to normal office life seems a distant possibility. It’s time to adapt ourselves to the new normal.

By practicing the above tips, we will now find it pretty easy to cope up with the work from home life. These techniques not only help us handle the work pressure effortlessly, but also enjoy our work life like never before.

~