Work from home. What does this phrase mean to you? Is it an opportunity to work in the comfort of your own home and spend more time with family? Well, it’s a new normal now. We, at Ikajo, also stay at home but continue to work efficiently and to take care of the merchants.
Our team has shared how they have used to the new mode, what helps them stay focused, and how they spend spare time after work.
What’s work from home for me?
Maxim
For me personally, the quarantine has shown people’s value in the team and their attitude to job duties. That was my first thought. Now I know who’ll get my back when we are working remotely. Also, I understand who works better with mentoring and office conditions.
I spend my quarantine at my country house. Its undoubtful benefits are the fresh air, the river, and the forest. And, of course, an absence of people, that decreases the chances of unwelcome contacts and me to meet corona. I wish everybody strong health and solid business contacts (a sure thing the online ones 😃).
During quarantine I:
- work
- have long walks in the forest
- fishing & making BBQ
Alina
Remote work is a huge challenge for every remote employee. The streamlined schedule is my biggest ally. I wake up and go to bed exactly at the same time as I’ve done before the quarantine. I prefer picking comfy clothes but smart-casual clothes. No pajamas, because you risk to end up sleeping on the couch during office hours.🛋 I also make myself a cup of coffee and find a safe place where my family won’t distract me.
Phone calls (that I use now instead of face-to-face conversations) with my colleagues help me not to get crazy during self-isolation. Moreover, we have the off-duty chats with the team-mates that are so fun. We laugh a lot. Still, I miss the guys and the office. Now, you feel how it’s precious and begin to value the great communication we have.
During quarantine I:
- work
- sew
- enjoy walking with my dog
Valeriia
Working from home was really unusual for the first time because I am a “work in the office” kind of person. I cannot deny that the office atmosphere puts you in the working mood. Yet, I believe that if you organize your home space correctly, you won’t have any trouble.
I use two monitors for my work because I write a lot and often deal with visuals and create presentations for the company. I love having a notebook and a pen next to me to write down any ideas to use them in the future 📝. I try to keep the working area neat and clean (the same as at the office).
During quarantine I:
- work
- read books from my list
- play with my dogs and enjoy the picturesque views
Pavel
From the very beginning, the work has seemed to be a lot harder. My usual workflow has become more laborious without paper-based documentation and direct communication with colleagues.
Yet, it took me around ten minutes to set up my work area. It’s been pretty fast as both my wife (who also is in IT) and I are working from home at times. Our cat was generous enough too consider the new conditions and doesn’t try to meet us at the door like he used to. Our workflow is fine-tuned now and the cat looks happy as well 😸.
During quarantine I:
- work
- read books & watch movies
- call more often to my relatives, friends, and colleagues
Dima
My quarantine morning starts from the morning prayers to my Internet provider. As I am spending the self-isolation time in my country house in the village, the connection sometimes upsets me. What I must admit, is that every change in scenery is stressful. Though this stress is small, yet it’s still not too comfortable.
The usual face-to-face greetings and smiles have transferred into the virtual format. But I am sure we’ll live it out! The quarantine has shown that the hardest thing is to build communication. I cannot even compare the terms of solving some questions directly with a person and in the electronic mode. Yet, only the fresh air and nature distract me a little bit from this bitter situation connected with the leave 🌳. I miss everyone!
During quarantine I:
- work
- craft
- go fishing
Masha
I had been working remotely for more than a year at one of my previous jobs, so staying at home during the quarantine is just about going back to old habits. The difference and difficulty are that other members of my family are also at home now, so we had to set out strict rules about working hours and not disturbing one another.
It is very important for me to stick to a daily routine to remain productive and focused – not forget the sound of morning alarm, do light makeup, change clothes before and after working hours (even if it is a change of one pajamas or home dress to another 👩💼), have a cup of coffee at the same time of the day, proactively communicate with colleagues, etc. I also keep to a strict rule – I work only in one cozy place, so the rest of the home remains space associated with relaxing and happy family moments.
During quarantine I:
- work
- discover new movies
- have a nice read with a glass of wine
Tatiana
Quarantine is tricky. At first, you order food delivery, enjoy Harry Potter movies, and lay in bed. Then you get bored. Finally, you find yourself in the middle of your little planet (somewhere between the kitchen and the living room), trying to figure out what date it is today. That’s what happened to me. Trust, it doesn’t stimulate creativity. You need the discipline and structure to literally not get lost.
I have my favorite tips for working remotely during the quarantine. I do 15 minutes of yoga every day. It helps to both wake up in the morning and relax in the evening. Also, I dress up, and make my hair and makeup 👩! It seems useless, but trust, it makes you feel disciplined and ready to work. Write all your tasks down at the to-do-list. It’s a life jacket.
During quarantine I:
- work
- plait mandalas
- do gardening & study medicinal herbs
Yuliia
I am a work-from-home pro since I’ve been working remotely at Ikajo International for more than two years now. 😁 So, I can’t say that quarantine got me hard. For me, it’s just the same old, and I love it! Morning stretch, daily routine, and precise schedule help me stay focused and organized even away from the comfort of the office.
For my work, I use a laptop and an additional monitor: I do a lot of writing and proofreading, and it helps me keep acute eyesight at the end of the day. I also have a year’s supply of Post-its and notebooks to track ideas. Other than that, I keep my workspace minimalist to avoid distractions.
During quarantine I:
- work and brainstorming sessions
- read, read, read
- do sports and take long walks to the sea
Igor
It very unusual for me to work from home as it seemed like it’s a never-ending day-off. Yet, I don’t think I’ve experienced any difficulties, I feel the working atmosphere but only without my fellow colleagues around. As we all work from home for some time now, I take it as aa new normal. I mean, you can get used to things.
During my work, I use a laptop with an additional monitor and, of course, my smartphone. As all the communications are 100% online now, Zoom and Skype help a lot, though I’d like to mention a variety of messengers we are using. The main benefit of the home office for me that it takes seconds to get to work 🚍. The main drawback is off-speed communication. And with time isolation annoys.
During quarantine I:
- work, work, work
- read professional literature
- do sport
Michael
Working from home is like feeling homesick but instead of a living place – the office. I’m used to communicating with my colleagues, so I try to keep in touch with them regularly. My working day starts, as usual, at 8 a.m. I take my laptop, sit down on the couch, and begin to work.
While working, I usually listen to music with my earphones, but since the quarantine, I can use speakers 🔊. On the whole, I’ve found a lot of advantages to remote work: 1) you’re on your own with your thoughts; 2) you are free to get relaxed when you feel fatigued; 3) you can wear any clothes you find comfortable.
During quarantine I:
- work
- play online games
- enjoy a cozy workplace with a lovely pet
We can’t wait to meet everyone back at the office. Our Sales and Business Development departments can’t wait to start visiting conferences again. Fingers crossed, that we are going to work in the usual mode very soon.
Our team hopes you all stay safe!
