Work from home started right after the Nation went under lockdown. At first, it was difficult to figure out when the office hours begin, and when I was supposed to bond with my family.
I was happy I could spend more time being productive. I saved maybe 2 hours daily on commute. I enjoyed the idea of reading a book from the comfort of my sofa instead of a rushed hour Metro line.
How I used to work
As a marketer for
Intandemly I was used to working with people around me, in an office. I loved talking to sales and developers at Intandemly to get a gist of the platform we are making, and who we are selling to.
I'd spend my days reading what's going on in the industry. Talking to people from other departments helped me understand where we stand. And it also gave me ideas for content.
Most of all, I was Productive. Who else wouldn't be with all these activities keeping them occupied all day long? I had one question with me, How can I ever replicate all these? All my colleagues were at the other end of the city.
There were distractions in my home, many, but it took me a while and I finally figured out the best way to be productive. My biggest mistake? I was trying to replicate everything from the office days. The secret was to adopt only the things which comforted me.
Let me explain the three things I learned. I practice them daily in the morning, throughout the day, to keep my self productive. Following a personalized version of these, anyone can be a pro at Remote!
The Rhythm of the Music
I listen to the same songs every morning. For you, it doesn't have to be songs. You could listen to Operas, Orchestras or try one of those Medication Apps.
The idea is to start the morning with the same energy daily morning. When your morning is the same, it sets a rhythm for the entire day. And before you know, as in
Blue Danube Waltz op. 314, everything will start falling in its place.
Clean Table, Catch-22
There are two types of people in the world. One can't keep their tables messy. Everything has to spotless, clean and "in place". The biggest Testimonial of this would be
Instagram's #DeveloperLife feed. Every 4th post is a computer setup, perfect in every way.
Then there's me. And I know there are millions of people like me, who can for any reason keep their tables clean. I get it. But ever since I started working full-time from home, I've come to learn this. Marketing involves a lot of typing and browsing for content. Way more than I realized before.
After the first few hours, things start to get uncomfortable. You'll want to move a little bit towards the wall. Lean on the right side, pop your legs on the table and continue watching Ahref's Free tutorials.
At this point, the inner voice in me would've wanted to start considering the cleaning table. Losing my flow.
It's a catch-22. Better to make cleaning your desk a ritual, and begin your work by getting things sorted for the day.
Moral of the story: Clean your desk to give yourself space your rightfully deserve.
Fill up your Calendar
Being hardworking is not enough to be successful. You need to consistent, even when things are getting boring. No matter who we are and how much we love our jobs, there will be a few days in a year when we are not the most productive self.
It's tough to fight through the down days, and one should try hard not to. Mental health is as important as physical health.
If you are using a calendar for work for the first time, I recommend reading
Time Management article by Anne-Laure Le Cunff
Conclusion
Half of the marketing is talking to staff, and the other half is learning from people outside the office. Working remotely, you are distant from both the groups. Physically.
But here's the lesson. If you can start your day on a high, you can work with the same productivity level as you would have from an office space.
Stay home, Stay safe
