Remote Working 101: Work-From-Home Tips & Tricks That Will Help Increase Your Productivity







Autoplay Autoplay 1 of 11 Work-From-Home Like A Pro The Covid-19 pandemic has shaken up the world and has brought about monumental changes in our lifestyle. While the impact of the pandemic has been mostly negative, a silver lining among the dark clouds is the way the pandemic has affected our work culture.



In the wake of the outbreak, several Indian MNCs and companies moved their operations to working remotely. As a large number of employees logged in to their office computers from their homes, their productivity was at an all-time high, which helped restore the faith of the senior management in the work-from-home (WFH) setup.



While most of us by now have become pros at working-from-home, as the popular saying goes, there’s always scope of improvement. We have compiled a comprehensive list of work-from-home tips and tricks that will take your productivity a notch higher and help you work efficiently. Set Up An Office-Like Space Starting with the obvious, when working from home, it is absolutely essential to set up an office-like space. No, it does not mean that one has to build a makeshift office, complete with a cubicle - it simply means having essentials in place.



For starters, prepare a checklist of all the things you need: laptop charger, phone charger that are important for smooth, uninterrupted workflow. Make sure you have them in place before you start working.



It is also advisable to keep a notepad and a pen handy so that you can jot down all the important points made in the next video call.



Then, you can also keep your water-bottle near your work-from-home desk to stay hydrated as you work your way through the shift. The key is to create an office-like environment that is conducive to your work. Time Your Breaks Taking breaks while working from home is important as it gives you time to blow off some steam and give your mind much-needed respite in the midst of a stressful work environment. But, it is advisable to time yourself when on a break.



You can use apps such as TimeOut for Mac, Smart Break for Windows to time your breaks and manage your work schedule efficiently. Video Call Etiquette Perhaps the most important tip to follow when working from home is following video call etiquette. As all your boardroom meetings shift to video calls, it is essential to look presentable and be a professional each time you Skype or Facetime with your team members.



For starters, dress appropriately. If you are in your pyjamas or loungewear, it is advisable to change into a professional attire, like a shirt or a blazer, paired with pants. Secondly, make sure that the room you are in is well-lit. Make sure the background behind you is not distracting. If you have a wallpaper with intricate designs, make sure you avoid it as a background as it may jitter on camera.



Lastly, do a dry run before you get on the call. Try calling one of your colleagues just to be sure that your mic and camera are working properly. Communicate Well This is perhaps the most critical part of remote working. When one is in the office space, it is comparatively easier to communicate with one’s co-workers and supervisors. However, when working from home, since your colleagues and manager are only available on Zoom or Hangouts, it is advisable to establish a proper channel of communication.



For starters, inform your supervisor of the tasks you are performing every hour and ask them to set proper deadlines for you.



If you are working on a project with a colleague, communicate with them clearly about the status of the project and the deliverables required. This will not only help build your supervisor’s trust in you, but will also help them keep a track of your progress.

MUMBAI: Bollywood superstar Salman Khan has started the process of transferring funds into the accounts of daily wage workers of the film industry, the Federation of Western Indian Cine Employees (FWICE) said on Wednesday.The actor had recently pledged to financially support 25,000 daily wage workers who have been badly hit by the 21-day lockdown to contain the coronavirus spread in the country.According to B N Tiwari, FWICE, President, Salman has made an initial payment of Rs 3,000 each to the daily wage workers of the film industry, starting Tuesday."We had given him the final list of 23,000 workers so far, who were in dire need of financial help. He is going to transfer money in installments as he doesn't want people to misuse it. He has transferred about Rs 3,000 to every worker yesterday and he will transfer money again after some time. We are thankful to him for helping our workers," Tiwari told PTI.A source close to Salman said the superstar will continue to support the workers until the situation improves in the country."We have started the process from Tuesday. We will be giving sufficient money to workers monthly, we will also give money next month and if the situation is still the same, we will continue to financially help the workers till it doesn't return to normalcy," the source said.FWICE said Yash Raj Films have also provided a financial help of Rs 5,000 to around 3,000 workers."Besides Salman, a lot of people from Bollywood have come forward to help the workers, including Ajay Devgn and Rohit Shetty, who have given Rs 51 lakh each. Boney Kapoor and Arjun Kapoor too have given money and there are few more who have offered financial assistance to the federation. We also received Rs 1.5 crore from the Producers Guild of India on Tuesday.