Amid the Coronavirus outbreak, don't just study or work from home, get smarter at it!

The new buzzwords - Work from Home and Study from Home. You’ve heard them before, but never have they seemed so relevant and urgent as they do today. Even as the world was slowly experimenting with a Work from Home [WFH] and Digital Learning model as a viable solution in urban spaces, the past two weeks have made it a sudden on-ground reality. And to help you ease into this rapid shift quickly and productively, here are surefire hacks from experts the world over!

SET UP A WORKSTATION (NOT THE COUCH)
Designate an area of your house as the place you will study or work from. It needn’t be anything fancy, just a desk & chair to create a conducive, neutral space for you to focus. Make sure your chair is comfortable and you have a handy whiteboard and marker to make notes, reminders and timetables (especially after phone calls, video conferences and webinars).

MAKE LISTS (NOT PLAYLISTS)
Lists are fun, lists make life easier! At least that’s what the most efficient individuals believe. So, try this, every morning, just before
you start the day’s work, make a list of things you’d like accomplished. Pro tip: Scribble the list on a surface you can change and alter through the day (because of course that list is going to change).

YOUR OWN BOOKMARKING MECHANISM
Although there are plenty of phone and desktop apps that double up as digital sticky notes or reminders, nothing beats the real thing. Use the simplicity and efficiency of sticky notes to earmark a book, make a note, create a mind map and so much more. Students especially know how resourceful sticky notes can be as tabs, bookmarks and fact tablets.

SET REALISTIC WORK, STUDY HOURS
Now that specific work and study login times seem elastic, set yourself a very clear start and end time. Same goes for students -
since you don’t have the delightful bell going off, it’s imperative that you set yourself healthy and regular start and end times. Keep an alarm, write your end time on your whiteboard - whatever works for you, but stick to it.

EAT A NUTRITIOUS, BALANCED DIET
In times such as these, it is important to eat healthy, nutritious food. And whether you’re working or studying at home, make it a combined fun practice to schedule common break times so that you can eat and snack as a family!

ARM YOURSELF WITH THE RIGHT TOOLS
It is a proven fact that WFH was steadily going to be our common reality the world over even before this period of social distancing. Which is why you need to get your hands on products that help sustain your productivity at home. Be it stacks of sticky notes or easy to install whiteboard films in different sizes, these products can set you up and have you good to go, in a jiffy.

Sanjit Satapathy is the Head of Consumer Business at 3M India. He is the author of this article.