Though there are people who feel more productive when working remotely, others may view it as challenging as they prefer to get their job done in their office cubicle.

Jakartan Suwandi Adi Riseso Sukadi, 33, and Bandung resident Rizki Fajar Nugraha, 39, shared their tips for those who have to work from home:

Be prepared

Adi, who works as senior specialist of IT Cost and Budget at XL Axiata, said his company had implemented a work-from-home policy since March 17. “The [work-from-home] period is two weeks but it could be longer depending on the situation,” Adi told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

He said internet connection was a challenge when working remotely as not everyone had a fast and stable connection. Hence prior to working remotely, it’s recommended that you check your internet speed to ensure no disruptions.  

Know when to stop

For Adi, it’s important for those who practice remote working to follow the regular hours set by their companies.

“We have to know when to rest, so we don't end up working all day. Try to have a break at 12 p.m.,” he said, adding that people also should use their work hours wisely instead of, for instance, going to the mall.

Build your own space

As part of his work-from-home policy, Adi has to attend a meeting at 8 a.m. from Monday to Friday via communication platform Microsoft Teams. “As my space is limited, when it’s time for the meeting and I know that I cannot be disturbed, I usually go into my room [during the meeting period],” he said.

Rizki, who works as CMO of independent digital agency Idea Imaji, said he had set a particular space or desk for him during work-from-home time.

Read also: Tips from parents on helping children study at home during COVID-19 outbreak

Communicate with your family

Prior to the meeting, Adi explained to his wife and their son that he didn’t want to be interrupted. “It’s like I’m giving them a red, yellow and green light,” said Adi. Red light means he doesn’t want to be disturbed, yellow means he’s working but he’s still available if his family needs him, and green means he’s already free from work.

Meanwhile, Rizki said his 9-year old daughter understood his remote working period and gave a little bit of his time to her. “If she needs me, I’ll spend five to 10 minutes with her before returning to my task."

Stay fresh

Rizki, who has worked from home since March 16, said he always takes a bath before sitting at his desk to focus on his job just like what he always does when he’s working at his office. “I want to stay fresh,” he said.

Avoid laziness

For Rizki, one of the challenges he faces when working remotely is laziness. “It’s because our work space [at home] is usually located near the sofa or bed,” he said. “For me, it’s fine to lie on the bed or sofa for a while, but I won’t do my job in that position. I try to sit at my desk to get the ‘working’ feeling.”

Rizki added that getting his work done before his working hours ended had motivated him. “I just make a commitment to myself that I’ll work from 9 a.m. to around 6 p.m.,” he said. (kes)