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The guide so that teleworking does not destroy your nerves and your energy
Psychology
Maintaining regular schedules, respecting routines, setting goals and respecting personal biorhythms to efficiently distribute tasks will optimize time when working at home
El teleworking has come to stay. It is true that many companies and organizations already had this labor formula fully integrated into their structures, but the current crisis generated by the threat of coronavirus has meant that many others have had to either adapt to the new situation in record time, or have become aware that it is not only an alternative but that it can be a practical and efficient option. However, the specialist in work psychology and “motivational speaker” José Miguel Sánchez, considers that there are still many pending straight to be resolved to make teleworking truly efficient for both companies and workers. For the latter, the expert proposes these six keys to avoid exhaustion, disorganization and stress and to improve telework optimization:
1. Maintain normal hours
It is important, as stated, to wake up at the same time and preserve the same habits than if you went to work outside the home. “You can have the flexibility to include transportation time in sleep time or you can use it to do sports before starting work,” he clarifies.
2. Set goals
Set the goals What you want to achieve on the day is essential to be efficient. In this sense, the expert insists on the importance of be realistic with them so that each day it is possible to reach 80% or more of what we have set for ourselves.
3. Set a work routine
It is important to define a schedule with the activities that we are going to carry out during the day, which includes not only personal work, but also meetings, presentations, calls or communications.
4. Include rest and leisure in the day
It is necessary to make stops to rest. Every 40-50 minutes of effective brainwork, it would be nice to make a stop. In the event that virtual meetings are held, it would be advisable, as far as possible, to take a break every hour and a half or two hours because that will avoid dispersion and brain exhaustion.
It is also essential to leave moments in the day to do what we like: “hobbies”, sports or exercises at home, share moments with your partner or children and even talk with friends using the technology that we have at our fingertips.
5. Know our biorhythms
We do not have the same energy, nor the same concentration nor the same mood throughout the different stages of the day. That is why the expert recommends performing the tasks that we like least when we feel better and performing those that are most pleasant for us when our performance tends to be lower, for fatigue or accumulation.
6. Manage your emotions
It is also relevant that we are aware of and pay attention to our moods, which will lead us to have different emotions. “Maintaining a positive state of mind will cause us to generate emotions that benefit us and increase our performance”, suggests José Miguel Sánchez.
Errors that can lead us to work longer hours or even suffer stress
Simple habits such as taking off your pajamas, taking a shower and having a good breakfast to face the day are more important than it seems to start the work day well.
According to the expert, if the person does not prepare for the working day or set goals that he must achieve during the day, it will be more difficult for him to end the day with the feeling that he has done his job well.
To better organize themselves, the expert proposes to set a completion time (or set duration) for each task. The idea is that we cannot dedicate more than is appropriate to each of them because doing so could directly interfere with efficiency. “It is important not to fall into impulsivity or to anticipate negative thoughts or situations that lead us to harmful emotions that hijack us and keep us in continuous stress that reduces performance,” he advises.
Another useful question will be to investigate in advance the different technological and practical options that allow optimizing time and tasks: uploading documents or photographs, sharing desks, communications with the team …
In fact, one of the great enemies of work efficiency is to procrastinate. “As we have more time than usual, we can leave tasks for later until there comes a time when we accumulate so many that we cannot handle them. And that is what can generate unexpected stress for us “, argues Sánchez.
How to make telework compatible with confinement
And now we must contextualize, because at the present time many families remain confined at home due to the threat of Covid-19, so that some people find it necessary to reconcile their work as workers with their role as fathers, mothers, couples or caregivers (elderly, dependents, pets …).
In this context and, although the expert explains that it is important to be clear that the situation is temporaryHis advice is to promote the organization of the family nucleus to get the most out of each one, avoiding as much as possible quarrels, disputes or conflicts between members.
With the kids. As proposed, it is important that they have established work routines where they can carry out their school activities. “When possible, you can let them work with us, because they like to imitate us and this can be a good time for them to do so,” he says.
With young people and adolescents. In his opinion, they must be involved in creating schedules and activities, as well as keeping them informed and making them part of the entire process and, of course, making them feel part of the successful conclusion for the family of this situation of isolation.
With partner. “The time has come to be more understanding, more empathetic and to understand that the environment can hinder communication,” he announces. Therefore, the expert recommends being more attentive to give the other person more space and listen deeply to what they are saying and what they communicate to us without words (non-verbal communication).
indicative schedule
- 7-8 hours a day to sleep and rest.
- 8 hours dedicated to work
- ½ hour – 1 hour to daily physical activity (at home).
- ½ hour to tranquility or disconnection (meditation or rest without screens)
- 2-3 hours dedicated to the family (partner, children …)
- 1 hour for hobbies (series, reading, painting, music ..). Better shared, of course.
- And the rest, would be dedicated to the tasks of cooking, order and organization of the house and meals …