Landscape changes

Impending economic crisis being created by the COVID-19 pandemic is completely changing the landscape of how businesses work. There is no question in mind that we will not be going “back to normal.” Today IS the new normal for the unforeseeable future.

This brings us to a new question- how do we protect our businesses and navigate this critical period? We are all in this together.

Social distancing has come up to be the most effective solution to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. We at Incepta would like thank all of our employees, family members and customers for the uninterrupted services while ensuring social distancing.

Incepta’s family is focused on our services from the safety of our homes. However, we understand that home-based work isn’t an activity as leisurely as it comes across to be. This can be seen as a trial for how things may look in the future. Home-based work comes with its own set of issues. Mental fatigue and isolation top the list against the backdrop of frightening and depressing news of casualties. Upcoming economic crisis is only adding to individuals’ disrupted states of mind.

Technology is moving at such a fast pace that we cannot even refer to today’s evolutions tomorrow, as upgrades are already set in place. Now it appears that the world itself is changing at such a fast pace that it is hard to prepare for the changes. Should we be scared? The situation is beyond our control. However, certain measures can be taken to keep our work situation from home under control to the best of our abilities.

There are numerous unique challenges for each one of you out there- How do you prevent yourself from getting distracted with domestic duties? How do you measure up to your standards of productivity if you have kids around? So here are some checks and measures for the Incepta family.

• Start the day early: It might come off as a huge cliché, but this has a logical explanation. With no certainty in the number of hours one has to put in, waking up early can make things easier on your mind. All household chores, such as cleaning, dusting, or cooking need to be finished before “work” begins. This will help you balance your household duties with your professional duties while being at home.

• Make a plan:  Set a schedule for yourself and make sure you strictly adhere to it. Develop a clear guideline as to when you will work and when to call it a day. However, the best thing about working from home is the flexibility. Sometimes you need to extend your work hours or start earlier to match a different time zone. In that case, be sure to wrap up early on the previous day or rest a bit more the next morning to compensate for it. This will ensure that you remain mentally alert and fit. This will combat mental exhaustion and keep your motivation elevated even on busier days. By the end of the day, complete the list of daily tasks on the to-do list, irrespective of all interruptions. Only you can hold yourself accountable for completing your tasks, so ensure you are following your own orders!

• Set up a reliable Internet connection: Ensuring that your internet connection from home is a strong one is a necessity. It not only ensures smooth workflow, but also rids the mind of any unnecessary distraction. Try setting up your workspace near your router or installing Wi-Fi extenders close by.

• Create an ‘Office’ atmosphere: Working from home comes with perks and conveniences. But it is important to ensure one doesn’t drift into lethargy and delay results. Thus, a fixed agenda and definite scheduling is required. Also a separate space designated for work can help create the right environment. Try working in a quiet room instead of at your dining table where your family is located. Treat 9am-5pm as your office hours, within your office space.

• Create a morning routine: Simply taking a decision to sit at your desk and start work at a certain time is not enough. Be sure to design a routine that gets you to that ‘desk’. A certain schedule leading up to it might benefit you – such as a morning cup of coffee, meditation, free hand exercises, or simply the act of changing clothes for work. Find a routine that works for you and be sure that you follow the same routine daily.

•  Stay off social media: We all love taking a break from our screens and delving into the smaller screens in our pockets for a few moments of relaxation during a stressful day. However, the internet now is filled with either pandemic-related news or memes on quarantine. In the current situation, such things can only divert the mind to a negative direction and thus are advised against.

• Set ground rules for people around you: Do not take all household activities on yourself just because you are home and make sure your family is aware of this. You don’t want to be overburdened, tired and disgruntled; this will affect your productivity in a negative manner.  Divide tasks amongst all your family members, so that your younger children are able to tidy up rooms, older children can do laundry or prep dinner, and your partner can cook dinner or be in charge of bills. Whoever can complete the task should be given the task rather than burdening yourself with all household duties. This will help you balance your professional work and household chores.

• Take regular breaks: It is important that you take breaks to eat, talk to family or just enjoy a cup of coffee. You might notice the duration of these breaks going down in the absence of co-workers and their gossip. So try taking similar breaks approximately around the same time you usually did when in office. Make another cup of coffee, shut your eyes from your computer screen for 15 minutes or enjoy a quick chat with your family to improve your mood.

It is advised that you wash hands at regular intervals, sanitize your surroundings and eat healthy food in order to stay immune. Not only is it important to stay hygienic going forward, but to also stay positive and motivated during these hard times. This is a war to be fought with a solo effort taken collectively, until the day we can get back to our normal routine.