Having worked across two decades in the corporate sector including a FinTech, working from home almost comes as second nature to me.
However what I never realised was how most of our workforce isn’t used to working this way.
The multiple facets of this issue are as follows
- You are used to a set time bound office environment and an environment to kick off and continue working.
- Work From Home needs discipline. For some it is difficult to WORK because of distractions (mostly people in a larger family setting etc.). For others it is either depressing or difficult to stop. Yes. Those who are by themselves, living alone or don’t have as many distractions so they will either be anxiety struck or throw themselves headlong into work to battle the impending anxiety.
- Technologically you don’t have a tried and tested system. Your VPN capabilities are untested (where there’s need for any), your platforms are untested, you see different services crash.
- You’re under the impression that work from home cannot be as productive as sitting in an office environment is. Which is not true. But we will get to that in a bit.

Here’s my two (few!) bits from my personal experience in the past many years of Working from Home for more than one Multinational (and local) companies.
For starters.
- You get to make your own schedule for the most part but that doesn’t mean you can do without one.
Do make a schedule, even if it’s a light one and has space for changes. Doesn’t need to be a hardcore and stiff minute by minute schedule. You however do need some structure to hold yourself accountable to remain productive because your boss ain’t lookin’ but your milestones will be screaming later.
This will ensure that you neither absolve yourself from all responsibilities and become an unproductive blob nor do you exhaust yourself and burn out by working round the clock. - If you live with family or share your living space with anyone except you and your laundry, please try to get a secluded corner if not a separate room to work in. It helps separate home and work environment a tad physically and makes it easy for either to not be ignored when they need attention.
- Schedule meetings.
With peers, with DR (Direct Reports), with anyone. Periodically. It keeps you on your toes and have agendas for these meetings that need to be discussed and needs met. This boost productivity instead of other popular belief
- Take regular breaks.
Realise the fact that you’re at home and it isn’t office. You’re not walking around to get coffee or go to your friend’s cabin.
Get up and move around. Step out of your room but not too often. Every hour take a five minute break.
Do take time off for lunch even if it means laying in bed and eating a sandwich or joining the family at the dinner table. Whatever applies.
- For employers and/ or line managers.
Organise your work according to your team.
Here’s assuming you know your people.
Let the super organised Martha Stewart’s of the team take care of most of their tasks. Folllow up on achievement of milestones.
The slackers and the cigarette or chai break mafia even at office, you know you have to help them organise their work.
So have 2 or 3 regular stand up meetings during the day through whichever platform you choose. (Stand up or Status update meetings are few minutes’, brisk check in meetings where goals and achievements in the past few hours or day are discussed very VERY quickly. These typically don’t last more than 10-15 minutes even for very large groups/ teams)
- Some tried and tested Technology Platforms are Skype for Business, Webex, Zoom*, JIRA, Microsoft Teams, Google Meets (G suite), Slack etc.
I wish you all would’ve been introduced to Working from home through calmer times, I PROMISE you would’ve loved it. Once we all come out the other side, you WILL find yourself more driven, organised and self sufficient in terms of work. Basically a much better worker. If you have a boss half as fantastic as the ones I had, they might even make working from home a permanent part of your routine every few weeks because they will SEE how much more productive you are working remotely. True story 😉
In addition to this if you need any help/ support I am reachable via DM over Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Email. Feel free to drop me a line if you have a Tech Question or Just need to vent because Cabin Fever got you real bad.
*Zoom is facing a terrible influx because of teachers using it around the world for online classes so that is experiencing choppy reception sometimes but it’s a good to go for the most part. The rest of the options are all working great.