4 Tips for Staying Productive and Motivated Working From Home

By Nurul Khairiah Mohamed Yusof

Working remotely prove to be a challenge for most people. What can you do to stay motivated and productive?

With the outbreak of coronavirus globally and the implementation of Malaysia’s  Movement Control Order (MCO) affecting everything with travel limitations to social distancing, Covid-19 in Malaysia has become a growing concern. That’s why many companies (non-essential services) are mandating or recommending that as many employees as possible work remotely until the virus can be contained.

Plenty of people fantasize about working from the comfort of their own home, replacing their commute in favor of more sleep, family or exercise time. But working remotely is a double-edged sword — sure, you get to stay home, but it can be harder to focus on actually working. Some problems people faced while working from home are:

• Unsuitable location or working conditions

• Poor time management and lack of structure 

• Unclear flow of communication 

• Feeling demotivated and hate working in an isolation 

So, first thing’s first: you should probably sit up straight, eat some breakfast, and put on your work outfit. How else can you stay focused on the job and mentally healthy while working remotely? Here are four tips for work from home and to staying productive.

#1. Set up a designated space for working

Try to find yourself a dedicated and comfortable spot to work in that you can associate with your job and leave when you’re off the clock — that means get off the couch, and definitely out of bed. For many, that means a home office. 

When making your home office, it also helps to make the room look like an office. Make sure you have easy access to all of the tools and supplies you need to succeed. This could include your computer, a printer, video conferencing equipment, paper, pens, and more. The more your room feels like an office, the easier it will be to stay motivated in the workplace.

If you don’t have a separate room, find an area with minimum traffic flow or a corner of a room off from the main area. Also important that the area has good ventilation and enough light whether from sunlight or artificial lighting.

Avoid checking emails, voicemails, or texting in front of the television or spreading work out on the kitchen table. Make your space a stress-free zone of quiet and solitude where you can concentrate.

#2. Manage your schedule and time 

Set your workdays and hours and stick to them. In most cases, that either means maintaining regular business hours or basing your work hours on the schedule maintained by your spouse or kids. Not only does a conventional schedule make you more productive, but it also allows you to spend time with the people you care about.

If it helps, you can set up a personal timetable that allocates your working, rest, and spend with family time. Make a list of what you should do every day and what goals you want to achieve. This will help you to manage time and be more productive throughout the day. 

For example, you work from 9 am to 12 pm. And then, you take a break and have lunch. You can start working again from 2 pm until 6 pm so at night you will have time for yourself (if you are alone) and time to spend with your family. Of course this is totally flexible and can be adjusted according to your availability and requirements from your employer.

If you work for yourself, start with setting broad weekly goals. Then every morning, set three high-priority tasks. You can cycle in smaller tasks like keeping up with email as you get a free five minutes but keep your eye on the larger high-impact tasks.

#3. Have good communication with your employers and workmates

If you work for an employer, remain in close communication with your supervisor. Ask them which projects you should prioritize and when they expect you to reach each milestone.

At least once each week, connect with them to discuss your progress, your challenges, and any ideas to address those challenges. Keep them in the loop so they can provide better feedback and direction.

Employ your video communications perhaps more than you normally would, now that you’re more isolated. Make sure you have your company’s teleconferencing devices—such as Zoom and Google Hangouts —hooked up and ready to go so you can stay connected with team members or office mates and you’re available for video calls and teleconferencing.

You can also invest in noise-canceling headphones , which block out external background noise so you can concentrate during a video conference or online meeting.

#4. Find your motivators and stay connected

If you’re not used to working from home, especially with others—kids for instance—you need time to adjust. Try not to get frustrated if you find it difficult and start to recognize your patterns, rhythms, and motivators. 

Figure out your personal motivators and understand what drives you. What chimes with your personality? Is it curiosity, problem-solving, the chance to learn, a sense of achievement, providing meaning, or taking an interest? It depends on the task, but try to apply some of these motivators.

Dr. Thuy-vy Nguyen from Durham University, who studies the effects of solitude, thinks the psychological effects of working remotely for extended periods is often overlooked or ignored, despite it being an essential factor in our mental well-being and team bonding.

“We’re used to social interaction. It facilitates cooperation and closeness.”

To help fill the socializing gap while working remotely, Nguyen recommends finding a colleague you can hit up when you’re feeling the need to chat with someone. Alternatively, buddy up with a friend who works elsewhere and is going through the same experience. Hopping on a social video call instead of text isn’t a bad idea, either.

Conclusion

Remote working might not be everyone’s cup of tea but it all depends on your attitude and how you look at the situation. If you look at it positively, you can find the opportunity during this difficult time and figure out the solution. Take advantage of this restrictive time to clear some clutter in your life and discover new hobbies.

What other tips can you recommend for better working from the home environment? Share with us in the comments section below.

4 Ways Your Small Business Can Survive The Covid-19 Pandemic

By Nurul Khairiah Mohamed Yusof

Being a small business owner in these difficult times can lead to several setbacks. But, there are ways to overcome this. 

There’s no doubt that small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) will be the hardest hit from the current Covid-19 pandemic. The bigger businesses have a better chance of surviving; however, small businesses tend to live only with a few months of cash flow (at most), so when something as this pandemic hits, the consequences can be devastating not only for the business owners involved but also for the employees they support. 

 “Small-business owners trying to weather the coronavirus pandemic will face a financial blow that’s likely to be worse than what they experienced during the Great Recession more than a decade ago,” says Karen G. Mills, a senior fellow at Harvard Business School.

She added that this is going to be orders of magnitude worse than the financial crisis. The 2007 and 2008 global financial crisis was a severe worldwide economic crisis. It is considered by many economists to have been the most serious financial crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s.

According to an online survey , 68.9 % of local SMEs have suffered more than 50% drop in business within one week of the Movement Control Order (MCO).

Some of the problems these businesses are facing with are:

• Drastic changes in working environments- remote working might not work for everyone (unstable internet connection, lack of working space at home, manual documents submission, etc.)

• Unclear flow of communication and data among the team

• Disruption to company’s cash flow and unable to pay employee’s salary

• Not ready for a long-term recession period

So, how can small businesses survive the turbulent times coming ahead in 2020? While there are no easy answers, here are 4 tips to start implementing and planning at least for the next three months to help you navigate the situation.

#1. Keep your order of communication clear 

Although we’ve seen employers work hard to keep their workforce informed, yet disinformation and confusion have spread along with the virus. Your employees (and stakeholders) will be looking for reassurance from you that they are being protected.

To enable timely two-way communication and employee tracking and to disseminate critical information, companies must validate that emergency notification systems are in place and tested on a routine basis. 

Alternative communication channels such as social media e.g WhatsApp (Google Play, App Store), Telegram (Google Play, App Store) may be used, especially if the telecommunication network capacity is strained. In addition, companies should deliver pandemic-related training to enhance employee preparedness and alleviate any concerns. 

Keep your employees informed with daily newsletter or announcement on the changing policies and type type of support they can get from the employer. Usually, this can be done by emails, video teleconference, or texting applications to get the message running.

#2. Support and protect employees with clear working policies 

If your company opting for remote working, make sure to have a clear policy about it. For example, the method of communication will be slightly different from before. You will need to rely heavily on technologies to stay connected with each other. Make sure employees have a basic understanding of using teleconferencing applications like Zoom, Google Hangouts, and Skype before proceeding to use them.

For employees, it might be tough to make a mental separation from sometimes-chaotic home life and they are finding that they don’t have the skills to be successful in an extended remote environment. To assess this problem, the employer should provide enough support and addressing issues their employees faced while working remotely.

This can be done by conducting training for the online process during working, a step by step guide and emotional support (because we are human) and let’s face it, it is not easy to get used to working in a new environment.

If your company is part of the essential services as mandated by our government, the employer must address the safety of employees followed by whether they are available to perform critical functions. Companies need to be able to monitor the situation, provide a safe work environment, and offer their employees the support they need.

Many companies have now activated no-travel and physical-distancing-at-work measures to help their employees practice a safe working environment.

#3. Tap into resources and financial initiatives provided by the government

Companies should utilize resources and financial initiative by the government to keep operations running as well as paying workforce salaries.

The Malaysian government is already putting together some initiatives to support small business owners. On Monday (Apr 6), Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced an additional stimulus package worth RM10 billion to help struggling SMEs affected by the Covid-19 outbreak.

One of the great initiatives is the wage subsidy programme that worth RM13.8 billion that will be given for 3 months for all companies registered with the Companies Commission of Malaysia before Jan 1, 2020. The allocation is as follows:

•  RM600 per head for companies with 200 workers or more

•  RM800 per head for companies with 76 to 200 workers

• RM1,200 per head for companies with less than 75 workers.

Banking institutions also provide six months of deferral or loan repayment moratorium, conversion of credit card balance to long-term loans, and the restructuring of corporate loans.

All of this support from the government is a big opportunity for a business owner to maintain their cash flow and allow for some breathing space before making any further planning.

#4. Make a three-month financial plan for your business

Every small business usually has the same key expenses, which include employee salaries, office rent, and utility bills. Further expenses range from industry to industry.

Speak to those you need to pay in the next three months (landlord and suppliers) and find out what options they are willing to negotiate to spread out the costs.

The government has also announced that they will give an additional tax exemption for private premise owners who will give rental discounts exceeding 30%.

Also, look at ways you can cut costs. But, use this as a last measure after we have seen at least two months of damage from the Covid-19 pandemic. Your biggest costs would usually be your staff and your office rent. You could perhaps freeze hiring on adding any more full-time employees and instead work on a project basis with freelancers.

Conclusion

This is a tough time for everyone whether you are an individual or a business owner. But, with good planning and preparation, these turbulent times can turn into an opportunity to reassess our goals and making the best from every obstacle coming. Malaysia Boleh!

What other tips you think can SMEs owners implement in their businesses? Share with us in the comments section below.

4 Healthy Eating Tips For Families During This MCO

By Nurul Khairiah Mohamed Yusof

Maintaining a healthy diet through an Movement Control Order (MCO) is not an easy thing. Here are some ideas to help your family maintain a nutritious diet

The coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak is upending life for families around the world. In Malaysia, the impact of the Movement Control Order (MCO) has created several factors are a concern for people when it comes to purchasing the right food to eat healthy, such as:

• Change in spending power due to unemployment or a drop in income.

• Panic buying which has caused a dip in supply of certain specialty goods.

• Limiting shopping excursions due to MCO regulations and fear of infection.

• Social distancing causing long queues and long waits to enter supermarkets or markets.

Understandably with these factors and more, the stress of getting used to this way of life can lead to looking to ready meals and processed food. However, with a little bit of effort, you can supply yourself your family with a varied and nutritious diet without costing a fortune.

#1. Understand the meaning of a balanced diet

Have a balanced eating habits that consists of meat, fish, vegetables, and fruits. It should also contain sufficient nutrients for your body. According to National Health Service , fruits and vegetables are a good source of vitamins and minerals, including folate, Vitamin C and Potassium, while meat and fish is a good source of protein. Try eating in a moderate portion everyday and remember to enjoy the meal (yes, you can have your cheat day too!).

If you feel that cooking is not for you, you can opt for a takeaway foods. Remember to add some greens to ensure you have a balanced meals (chop some carrots or cucumber to eat as a side along with that char koay teow).

#2. Buy Fresh Stuff From Local, Store-Brand

When you think of a nutritious meal, fresh produce like meats are some of the items that come to mind. But, this stuff can be quite expensive too, especially when you want to save some money. You can alternate eating between meats and poultry while increasing your vegetables and fruits intake (cheaper and easier to prepare).

You can also consider buying fresh produce that last longer, for example:

• Carrots

• French beans

• Long beans

• Ladies fingers

• Bitter gourd

• Capsicum

• Tomatoes

Look for local farmers’ produce when you go grocery shopping. Not only they are cheaper and have more supply compared to imported goods but you can contribute to local’s businesses as encouraged by our government. Some of the produces are bean sprouts, brinjal, coriander, and ginger.

Fresh produce is almost always the best option, but when it is not available, you can opt for frozen and canned food. Not only it can be stored for months or even years, but according to the American Council on Exercise, frozen produce is just as healthy as the fresh variety!

You can also shop for store-brand products. For example, chain supermarkets like Tesco and Giants have some quality and affordable items under their own branding and most importantly it is local! You can look for cooking oil, fresh vegetables, frozen sausages, and sugar, to name a few.

#3. Make a shopping list and meal plan.

Plan ahead your meals. Visualize breakfast, lunch, and dinner for at least 5 days. What will you serve? What do you need? Know what ingredients to buy in advance for days/weeks/months and add to your shopping lists. You can include some snacks in between meals. Rather than having sweets or salty snacks, opt for healthier options like nuts, cheese, yogurt (preferably unsweetened), chopped or dried fruits, and other locally available healthy options.

Keep your shopping lists updated and handy. Either you write your products in a small piece of paper or use your notepad apps on your mobile phone, so you won’t risk forgetting stuff to buy. After that, you only need to run for groceries shopping once and haul all you wanted for a week, fortnight or even a month. Tip: Buying in bulk is also cheaper compared to normal food packaging.

Consider using apps or online-based delivery for your groceries shopping to practice better social distancing during this MCO period. You can use apps like Happy Fresh (Google Play Store, App Store) , BungkusIt (Google Play Store, App Store) and MyGroser (Google Play Store, App Store) or other local supermarkets to make it easier to shop.

#4. Food hygiene tips during Covid-19 outbreak

While at present there is no evidence of food or food packaging being associated with the transmission of coronavirus disease (Covid-19), it may be possible that people can become infected by touching a surface or object contaminated by the virus and then touching their face.

The higher risk though comes from being in close contact with other people while food shopping or receiving a food delivery. As always, good hygiene is important when handling food to prevent any food-borne illnesses.

• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before preparing any food.

• Wash unpackaged produce, such as fruit and vegetables, thoroughly under running water.

• Use separate chopping boards to prepare uncooked meat and fish.

• Cook food to the recommended temperature.

• Where possible, keep perishable items refrigerated or frozen, and pay attention to product expiry dates.

• Aim to recycle or dispose of food waste and packaging in an appropriate and sanitary manner, avoiding a build-up of refuse which could attract pests.

• Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before eating and make sure your children do the same.

• Always use clean utensils and plates.

Conclusion

Maintaining healthy eating habits can be a challenging task for parents to ensure everyone gets sufficient nutrients with limited sources (due to limitations in buying groceries) but with proper planning, you can provide your family with a nutritious meal while not burning a hole in your pockets.

What other tips you have to maintain healthy eating habits during MCO? Share with us in the comments section below.