Due to the second wave covid surge, many employees have returned back to work from home(WFH) strategy. It is indeed that work from home has major benefits like saving time and money for commuting. According to a survey by leading co-working space provider Awfis, an average working professional in India is saving Rs 5,520 per month and 1.47 hours of travel time every day while working from home.Despite this, many are exhausted due to “work-life blur”.In this context, work from home is really a challenge for many since all family members are in home. However setting a personal space with office equipment and proper time management can produce better output. When done right remote work allows people to perform well. Many people have a feeling that they are not productive due to WFH.But research suggests that in an eight-hour day, the average worker is only productive for 2 hours and 53 minutes.That means you are probably productive for around 3 hours a day. In other words someone in the office spend around 5 hours for unproductive activities like discussing non work related things with colleagues, checking websites/social media, making/attending personal calls,coffee/lunch breaks,other short breaks etc.The reality is the eight-hour work day is not based on the optimal number of hours a human can concentrate.Its origins lie in the Industrial revolution, not the Information Age.
To be productive,we should keep a to-do-list and focus on the most important work.Make a plan to work 3 hours a day effectively. For this it is advisable to follow Pomodoro Technique.The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s. The technique uses a timer to break down work into intervals, traditionally 25 minutes in length, separated by short breaks.
Pomodoro Technique
Step 1- Choose the task
Step 2- Set a timer for 25 minutes
Step 3- Work on the task until timer beeps
Step 4- Take a 5 minute break
Step 5- Repeat the cycle 4 times & take a 30 minute break after 4 sessions
Another way to improve productivity is , say “NO” to multitasking.Human brain cannot perform two tasks at a time.Studies shows that when our brain switches back and forth between tasks, we become less efficient and more likely to make a mistake.Furthermore it hurt our mental health when those tasks are complex and require our active attention.Some other ways to improve productivity is practice self- care through good habits. Usually remote workers develop poor habits like going to bed late and waking up late. This leads to low energy and fatigue.Building good habits like reducing screen time,avoiding overtime work, going to bed on time, eating healthy meals at the right time, exercising and meditation helps you to focus on work and be more productive.
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