Working remotely from home requires a specific routine for us to remain efficient and productive at the end of the day.

Since the start of the pandemic (some started working from home just last January 2020), many of us have been working remotely from home. Doing so requires several adjustments aside from the logistics. Setting up a workspace at home and ensuring that everything you need to deliver the needed tasks can pose several challenges. From making sure that you have the complete set of equipment (desktops, laptops, headset, phone, etc.) to ensuring stable Internet or wi-fi connection, starting the work-from-home set-up is not as easy as many perceive. Then there’s your work routine.

Work from home challenges are different, but it does not mean they are insignificant or less than those who report to company offices. With all the distractions at home and the blurred boundary between working hours and the end of shift, it is essential to establish a routine that will make you an efficient worker even when at home. Routines are also necessary to protect your personal space and privacy. Here are several habits that I think should be included in your daily routine while you work from home.

Establish a sleeping and waking hour. To ensure that you have enough rest and sleep, it is essential to maintain a strict sleeping and waking hour, at least during workdays, even when you are working from home. I prefer going to bed 9 or 8 hours before my shift starts, regardless if it’s a graveyard shift or not. I also set my alarm clock an hour before my shift begins.

Do not go online as soon as you’re up. Unfortunately, this is common among many work-from-home agents and employees. I set my alarm a full hour before shift because doing so allows me to do my morning or waking up routine (exercising, taking a shower, eating breakfast, and other stuff you usually do upon waking up). Don’t let the work-from-home setup fool you into thinking that you can forego personal routines. It is also a way to establish the line between work and personal time.

Set House Rules for your working space. The people you share your home with must know your working schedule and specific details about your work. Doing so will brief them of your free hours and what to do and NOT to do when working to avoid distracting you. It will also allow your family to provide you the necessary support you need when you need it.

Set daily goals, breaks and follow them. Before the day starts (preferably the night before), I always look at my task sheet and scheduler. It is where I place the tasks I need to accomplish the following day. On it, I also place the number of hours it will take me to finish the job and the scheduled breaks. Working from home sometimes gives us the false idea that we can juggle work, breaks, and personal stuff just because we are at home. It seems wrong and disadvantageous for any employee in the long run.

Go out and enjoy your weekends / RDs. It is essential for every individual working from home to have rest days and enjoy them, not at home, but somewhere else. A change of scenery and air can help you avoid opening your emails or answering work-related calls and queries. Before the pandemic, rest days meant spending weekends at home. The new set-up requires us to go outdoors after spending work at home for five days. So go out. Do some walking, go to a beach or spend a day in the park. It will refresh your mind and body as you enter another work week...at home.

Other essential practices to consider:

Aside from these five essential routines, there are also several adjustments you can execute to make your work-from-home routine more healthy and effective.

• Maintain another phone and VPN and only use it during workdays

• Always eat on time and eat home-prepared foods. Avoid fast foods

• Move around during breaktime and take your eyes off the monitor

• Socialize with colleagues online and participate in team meetings

• Always end your days with a positive note, another routine as well