At the National Opera House of Ukraine in Kiev during a visit in 2019
It almost sounds like the joke we often make in our country — World Famous in India — but it is no longer a joke. You can be world famous in India, and you can be a professional at home. Being professional is an attitude, and you do not need to compromise on that at all. Give your 100% with what you have, in the time required. Many of us have decided not to even think of working from the office till next year. That means organizing ourselves in a better way. Here are some tips from my own experience on how to be professional at home:
Tools of the trade: Get a table and an office chair where you can sit long hours; if possible, face a window, so you can look outside often. Get a bigger screen, a better camera/microphone, and a table lamp or other suitable lighting. Definitely get good speakers… as much as possible, use speakers, but keep a noise-canceling headphone/microphone unit close by. An echo spot or a timepiece will help tremendously to set alarms for meetings. Plan for two internet services for sure.
Work by the calendar: Organize your time better. Set a time to start work. I sit in my chair by 9 am but only get to work by 9.30 am. Schedule your time and activities, both work as well as personal, on the calendar.
Plan for the future: Going ahead, you must have a spare room to work in (office at home), so when you buy/rent a new apartment, think of getting an extra bedroom. For now, rent a room in your neighborhood if you have a tight living space. Sharing this room is not a good idea.
Leave work behind when it’s time to wrap up: Don’t eat at the same table. Set aside your devices once you are off work. Switching off and switching on in the same space will take some time but it becomes easier with practice.
The work from home concept suits many of us; it is also good for our planet. Once you find the right balance, it turns out to be more enjoyable and productive.
Sudhir Sharma, Editor-in-Chief
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