The pandemic of the new coronavirus changed the daily lives of many of us. If working at home used to be a privilege of few, today it has become the obligation of many. How can we adapt to this new routine? What are the main differences between working at home and in an office? How can we maintain productivity?

Even though we are inside our homes, we must take certain precautions if we want to maintain order in our tasks:

1) Create your own workspace

At home we are comfortable, in our space, and the temptation to be distracted can be greater. To increase productivity in the home office, you should create your own office.

Choose a room or a corner just for work (if you have good sun exposure, better). Set up the "office" to your liking with the essentials for your work day. Working in bed, although it may seem tempting, is not recommended, as it is a space associated with rest and can reduce your productivity.

2) Define your objectives

Setting daily goals will help you focus on your work. Make sure these goals are realistic and don't be afraid to write them down on a piece of paper, so when you're done, cross them off with pleasure.

3) Define a schedule

One of the advantages of teleworking is the flexibility of workers' hours. We seem to be able to organize our day as we see fit. However, remember that all jobs have a deadline and this must be met.

An example: if you need a morning to deal with personal matters and you have a deadline to meet, devote some time to the project the afternoon or evening before. This way, you can use your free time calmly.

4) Pause tactically

Even if you are alone at home, don't forget to take breaks to rest and regain energy and concentration. People who work in an office always find reasons to take "tactical breaks", such as a signal from a colleague to drink coffee or eat something.

When you're teleworking you can do the same. Take the opportunity to get some air on the balcony or in the garden.

4) Condition your space for videoconferences

You must have your own "set" when it comes to an emergency meeting or an online appointment with a client. Make sure that behind you is an area of the house where people will not pass like a picture wall or a library. Also make sure it doesn't have anything that will embarrass you (it's better that no one sees your troll collection or that old Backstreet Boys poster).

5) Dress like you're going out

You don't have to choose your best pants, your best shirt or the prettiest shoes. The important thing is to avoid staying in pajamas. Do what you would normally do on the days you go to work at the office. The goal is to help your brain not to get lazy and to click into work mode.

6) Keep in touch with your colleagues:

You may not be in the office, but that doesn't mean you don't keep in touch with your colleagues. Try talking to them and sharing ideas about the projects they're developing, either by message or by video call. Technology is particularly useful for maintaining relationships.

**7) Home office with children**

For those who work from home and have children in their care, it's twice as much effort. You must set schedules, maintain the children's routine, prepare meals and snacks at the usual times, limit the use of electronic devices and do different activities every day to keep them interested throughout the day.

8) Disables cell phone notifications

During the home office, being on the cell phone at all times can do a lot of harm. The cell phone can end up further delaying your productivity. Just turn off notifications or use applications that regulate our time on social networks. Remember that the cell phone should be an ally, not an enemy.

As you can see, teleworking is a scheme that can bring advantages to both the worker and the company. It offers the worker flexibility, but also encourages responsibility. On the other hand, a company that is familiar with this form of work can act faster, in emergency situations.

New paradigms: the home office is here to stay