Nathalie Jeha - work from home

Tips and thoughts
by Nathalie Jeha – CEO – Marketing & Business Consultant

Better’fly Lebanon

Giant companies around the world like Facebook, Google, Twitter and many more have already rolled out mandatory remote work. Whether you’re a startup business or an established company, here are my tips today on what you need to do to stay productive while you work from home during the Coronavirus crisis.

How-to-work-from-home-and-stay-productive-during-the-Coronavirus-Crisis--2

Here’s one thing to start with – this, will linger on for a while.
Our -home office- will become the new daily venue for many of us for a while, given the earlier announcement by the World Health Organization that the coronavirus has officially reached ‘pandemic’ status.

If you are doing this for the first time, as in working from home for the first time, you’d need to take a deep breath and welcome yourself and your colleagues with a happy note today.

As employees working together -while we’re physically apart- we need to stay connected and feel connected as well. This is where the real challenge is. Once this is done, you’d feel linked again with the environment that you are now away from.

1 Get up early, and pretend like you are going into your office

The mental association you make between work and an office can make you more productive, and there’s no reason that feeling should be lost when telecommuting. Practice!

2 Build up your cozy and calm working space

Dedicate a specific room, space or simply a table at your home to help you get into the right frame of mind. Place your laptop at a certain spot and your stationary at another. Don’t forget to throw in some photos of your loved ones and friends and of course leave some safe space for your coffee cup. You don’t want to spill that on your personal laptop right? 

3 Organize your day – phone calls, e-mails and tasks

No matter what; you need to stay on schedule.
Get the help from an online calendar that can also create personal appointments and reminders. Google Calendar can do the trick and Alexa can be your new best friend!

4 Start using tools such as Zoom to get work done and feel connected

Salute your colleagues every day just like you used to do at the office and throw a daily brainstorming session before kickoff. Don’t forget to compliment them on how cute they look in their PJ’s and messy hair.

5 Avoid distractions

This can be your annoying neighbor, your parent who needs help with washing the dishes, your Facebook notifications or simply the TV.
Try to avoid such similar distractions and organize your day by taking short breaks every now and then.

6 Prepare your meals in advance and snack healthy

I recommend you prepare your meals the night before to ensure you can actually use your meal times to eat. Make sure you are using fresh and healthy ingredients, also please snack healthy, choose food options that can even help keep you full throughout the day and limit your cravings for unhealthy foods.
Summer is coming!

7 Finish work and “Head Home”

I know! You are at home already but, when you stop working this is what you gotta do, turn off your laptop, clean up your desk, take a refreshing shower, change your clothes and enjoy your favorite hobby or activity. Do not work at night unless it’s an emergency.

If you’re not used to working from home, it can take little time to adjust.
You might even struggle in the beginning, because honestly, remote work is not for everyone — it requires extreme focus, independence and reliability.
However, when there’s a will, there’s a way and when your health comes first, I know that you will find the way!

If you’re feeling left out or burned out, don’t hesitate to give me a call or write me an e-mail for more tips and thoughts.

Work from home. Stay safe. Stay productive.
Don’t panic or fear because fear is the mind killer.
And remember, this too shall pass

Author Profile

Nathalie Jeha
Founder – CEO Better'fly Lebanon
General Manager - Certified Marketing Consultant