This is part four of our ongoing series Notes from Home. In this edition, we talk with Deepanker Anand, Associate Manager, Analytics, about staying focussed during the lockdown.

Secrets to Stay Productive

 

How does it feel to work from home on an extended basis?

It is a wonderful way to strike the right work-life balance and provide us the more flexibility. It has enabled us to spend some quality time with family members, saving on the office travel time and yet continuing to support our client’s business regularly.

What do you do to stay productive when working from home?

Working from home comes with its own set of challenges. Yet, we have to find a way to manage work, family, time for ourselves while balancing our schedules.

Every day, I review the TO-DO list and decide on task priorities while starting the day and stick to it as much as possible. I usually take up the most difficult or high-priority task first during pre-lunch hours. I also adhere to the schedule and make sure to finish meetings on time. Doing these few rituals would ease the mental pressure and help us stay productive and reduce disturbance while working on client projects.

This helps me ensure my quality of work and gives me a scope to carve out some personal time to relax and rejuvenate for the next day.

How do you strike a balance between work and family?

I have made a routine such that there are some buckets of time to spare and get involved with my family. I just stick to the work hours and finish deliverables on time so that there is sufficient time available to interact with my family members, especially during lunch and tea-time.

How do you de-stress yourself while working?

I take care of my physical and mental well-being by involving myself in healthy practices. I perform body stretching exercises in the morning, have some coffee, and even go for a short evening walk to refresh and enhance blood circulation. These things help me stay fit, agile, and positive on most of the days.

Have you pursued new hobbies or learned any new skills during the lockdown?

Yes, I feel I have made good utilization of the time I had at my disposal! I spent some time on creating a travel wall in my house by utilizing the souvenirs I bought while traveling to various countries in the past few years.

I’ve also upskilled myself by learning new Cloud and AI/ ML platforms and tools like– H2O-AI, Data-Robot-AI, Azure ML & KNIME.

Any tips that you’d like to give to make this WFH period go smoothly?

The most important tip I have is to decide on your priorities well and stick to the plan for work tasks throughout the day to avoid overlaps. You should stay healthy, productive and ensure that you keep sanitizing your hands and objects you come in contact with. Keep track of what and when you are eating and drink lots of water to stay hydrated.