Home Office Offers Better Management and Productivity

Communicating through screens and clicking became part of the routines that perhaps were only experienced in the office…But…For more than a year, hundreds of workers, hand in hand with technological tools, migrated towards this trend called Home Office.

It's not just about adapting to certain conditions; it's not about being accountable 24 hours a day, seven days a week. These practices, which many of us have faced for a year…They are not new, only that, this time due to the pandemic caused by COVID-19, they became necessary.

But then…How could we define Home Office without failing in the attempt? In this regard, the Spanish expert and academic José Lozano, affirms that “the Home Office has always existed in one way or another, but now it acquires more value and importance both for architects, self-employed professionals, towns and areas where people give more importance to living to work than to working to live."

And in this sense, the so-called latent work pressure becomes much more evident. The psychologist and Luz Adriana Quiroga Wilches, affirms that, without a doubt, all people have changed their way of life, and therefore of working, especially in times of pandemic.

She emphasizes the professional that many people had become familiar with this dynamic and in this sense, it is important to identify the four basic emotions: anger, sadness, joy and fear, and the others that arise. "There is a very important one, which is tolerance for frustration and that is knowing that we had a way of doing and seeing things, and now the questions have changed, it is important to do routines in our work times at home."

The Specialist in Special Education emphasizes that it is important to bear in mind that the house is the place where we sleep and rest and therefore, separating the spaces should be a priority, all this in order for the brain and body to adapt to the place work and rest. “Even if we are at home, it is important to establish much more flexible hours, that is, to be clear about work and rest times. This makes our body and brain prepared, and although there are no strict rules, it can be eaten to avoid stress."

In The Middle of Screens

The Social Communicator, Journalist, and Master in Strategic Communication Iliana Aparicio, has spent many years teaching in virtual mode at the National Open and Distance University – UNAD-, but since last year she moved her chores to the home.

Also read: How to Increase Your Productivity Working From Home

For her, the advantages of the Home Office are diverse, among them, the savings in travel and food time and expenses. She also adds that "there is a balance between personal and professional life, as well as motivation and encouragement for productivity and creativity."

As a disadvantage, she indicates that the opportunity to meet and interact with co-workers is lost, as well as the quality of connection and equipment, since "these devices and elements must respond to the needs of the company and the employees." She also adds that people who lack discipline and need constant supervision are not good candidates for this modality.

From Office to Home

José Lozano firmly believes in the capabilities and talent of workers, and from his extensive experience, he shows that this era is one of talent and not one of presence. "It is time to work for objectives and not to clock clocks, it is time to trust and not control those who do not know how to work, or add value to their companies."

The important thing is that human beings choose from where and how they want to work because they are free to do so and companies must be aware of all these changes. "It is no longer the company that forces the worker to carry out his work in a specific place and in a certain way, it is the worker who chooses, whenever he can, how he wants to work and from where," he said.

The key so that the Home Office routines do not become a burden is that there is space for rest, as the Psychologist Adriana Quiroga considers it, since this allows her to be much more productive, she insists on the importance of managing times and spaces. "You don't have to eat in the same place where you work or sleep…This is not healthy, and it can lead to stress."

The body must have breaks and cannot be subjected to long and excessive hours. She recommends setting limits and prioritizing priorities in such a way as to establish the first thing that must be done to be creative and not fall into excesses. “One in the office does not stay late every day, sometimes, but not always. Taking work everywhere leads to stress and other affective and emotional disorders, such as anxiety and depression.”

Teacher Iliana Aparicio complements what was said by the Psychologist in the sense that it is very important to take care of mental health when working at home. "You have to distribute the day, work in a good environment and with the appropriate clothing, but especially, plan the tasks."

Undoubtedly, the issue of the Home Office goes hand in hand with technology and this must be implemented and complemented in the best way, according to the teacher. "Technology and networks have been allies in these dynamics, therefore, social networks should be a compliment and never a distraction."

The Home Office was not here to stay, since it was already in place before the pandemic, in fact, many companies at the national and international level were already doing it, here the important thing is that there is coordination between organizations, leaders, and their workers, especially when there are responsibilities at home that cannot be set aside. "All this is possible if there is very good communication, that is the key."

But how can we say no in Home Office times, when routines exceed limits? In this regard, Adriana Quiroga says that “just as we learned to say no in our life history because if we are in the office, we already say yes and no, we set limits, we get overwhelmed. Regardless of whether we are at home, we have to be respectful with ourselves and our essence.”

Social Networks:

-Listen to Adriana Quiroga's podcast by clicking here. 

-Find Iliana Aparicio on Facebook as @ilianaparicio

-Find José Lozano on Twitter as @jolozanoga and LinkedIn as José Lozano Galera