The official numbers, according to govt.au, of positive Coronavirus cases are as follows:

As of 6.30 am on 18 March 2020, the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Australia is 454.

Coronavirus is a global concern and has to be dealt with diligently with utmost priority. Even though there is no vaccine available for this novel virus, prevention and control are the most powerful tools we have against COVID-19. And we should not miss a chance to keep ourselves and our families as well.

In order to meet all precautionary guidelines of social distancing, extra effort should be made to keep many people gathered in one place. As a result, it is best advised to avoid places like shopping malls, gyms, cinemas, local transport and other such crowded places to help with prevention and control. These are the places for leisure and are, in a way, not difficult to avoid, but what about the workplace?

Workplace policies amidst this health epidemic are a tricky topic that needs urgent involvement. The best practice for any business or organisation, regardless of its size or type, is to allow employees to work from home.

If you do not have workplace compliance policies set up for working from home or do not have this concept in your workplace culture, there might be complications with this newfound, urgent mode of working from home.

Organisations can face issues with keeping the task force anxiety-free, availability of systems with desired specs at employees’ homes, having the required internet speed, setting up systems at individuals’ homes if need be, meeting client’s requirements, etc.

On the other hand, employees may have issues with internal communications, reporting of work, adapting to a new schedule, maintaining productivity, having the right ergonomics at home to work and keeping a positive attitude.

Here are 5 things employees working from home can use to stay productive and positive during these rough times:

1. Create a routine

A routine is the only thing that is going to keep you as productive as you were in the office, if not more. Generally, while working from home, we overestimate the time we have on hand and underestimate the urgency of tasks. It is also common to get lost with your kids, pets, TV shows, social media or even daily household chores. A detailed hour-to-hour routine not only helps you be productive but also allows you to spare enough time for yourself.

2. Have a dedicated place to work

Find a place in your home where you will be least disturbed. Roaming around with your laptop will certainly bring about a lot of distractions. It is said that once distracted, we need 25 mins to refocus. Save yourself the trouble of finding a place in your home to come to daily.

The ergonomics of your DIY workplace are also important. You do not want to end up with frozen shoulders, sore neck and back pain.

3. Ask for help from managers

After a couple of days, you may feel that you are not being able to produce the same kind of work at the same time as you could in the office. Your body might be missing the workplace personal computer, the keyboard, the mouse, or a certain software. Or it could also be bad bandwidth of your home’s internet. Without any reluctance, you should ask HR managers to provide you with the needed supplies. Companies that already have a work-from-home culture have the resources and planning to make this possible for their employees.

4. Move, and socialise!

Take care of your mental health while working from home. Staying in 24/7 without any moving and without socialising will surely take a toll on your mental health, needless to say, it will increase your crank your hypochondriac tendencies up with coronavirus anxiety.

Now we don’t think this is a good time to take a stroll in the park, but you can clip your plants or take a stroll in your backyard or terrace. Make calls and video calls to your friends and your colleagues when necessary. Set a fixed time for these activities.

5. Become a pro-communicator

Log out of all your personal social media profiles to avoid the incessant onslaught of push notifications and to keep yourself scrolling mindlessly through feeds when you feel bored. Not doing so can cause hindrance in completing tasks that require your undivided attention for some hours.

Keep your email open, check the inbox often, and write emails every morning asking your team if they need any help. Stay active on your office communication channels. Report your work diligently and in detail. Use calls and video calls generously.

Take informed action…

Adaptability and proactiveness are the things that are required during such times to not only keep the virus from spreading but also to stay on track professionally and personally. Working from home and that too effectively is a step in the same direction.

In order to get complete, exhaustive guidance on how to work from home — maintaining productivity and a positive state of mind, go through this quick 15-minute course.

Sentrient’s working from home online course is curated using tried and tested methods. It will help you with working-from-home insights, key considerations while working from home, potential harm and hazards associated with working from home, how to report such hazards, risks and incidents when working from home and help in maintaining productivity, motivation and a positive mindset during this Corona-crisis.

Click here to start the course. Stay in. Stay safe.