The holy month of Ramadan has just begun. Muslims all over the world are set to spend the holy month with all sorts of generous activities. However, this year is going to be radically different due to the coronavirus outbreak. And as most people have already opted to work from home, fasting, working, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle amid this calamity can be challenging. Although you may face some challenges, it is certainly not an impossible task to maintain a balanced lifestyle. That being said, here are 5 tips for working from home during Ramadan.
Get Enough Sleep
A lot of people tend to sleep only after having Sehri. This allows them to sleep for only a short period of time. This practice is bad for your body as well as your health. Consistently losing sleep can reduce your ability to work effectively and efficiently. Working from home requires a lot of physical and mental stamina. If you don’t get enough sleep, chances are you will be exhausted and will lose the ability to think and make decisions properly. Among other things, losing sleep can cause temporary memory loss, limit your cognitive ability, and also lead to an unhealthy life. So getting the right amount of sleep is absolutely essential while working from home during Ramadan.
Stay in Touch
Be it for official purposes or for fun, there is no chit-chatting with your colleagues when you are working from home. All you have is technology and staying connected with your co-workers is more important now than ever. Plan ahead, keep a checklist of what you need to talk to your co-workers about every day. Start your day off with a short but effective meeting. Spend at least 10 minutes talking with each team member and getting updated on everyone’s situation. Always be available during office hours so that others can find you easily. There is no alternative to good communication practices.
Don’t sit for long
It may seem challenging to concentrate for a long period of time while fasting. It is normal to have such problems on an empty stomach. That is why take a 5 minutes break every 30 minutes. Take a walk around the house, engage in little talks with your family members. Spending some time with your pets (if you have any) or in the balcony can be great for a short respite. You will notice a significant difference in your working efficiency and also your concentration will improve. For a more effective result, you can use the ‘Pomodoro Technique’. This technique breaks down the task into intervals, traditionally 25 minutes in length. Take 3-5 minutes break every 25 minutes and after the completion of 100 minutes, take a 15-20 minutes break then get back to work again. This technique is very effective in terms of efficiency and concentration.
Set Boundaries
Working with the presence of children can be really challenging. Kids with all their frenzied activities can deviate you from your regular schedule. Since the educational institutions are locked down and you are home with your kids, the only way to get things done in this situation is to seclude yourself by setting boundaries. Communicate with your family members and tell them not to disturb you during working hours. Restrict access to your home office. Hang a sign if you need to but let them know that it is crucial for you to be secluded.
Take Breaks for Prayer
Most offices usually reduce their working hours during Ramadan every year. This year is no different. Ramadan is a month of fasting, prayer, and reflection. Not only do we refrain ourselves from food, but also we restrict ourselves from all sorts of sinful activity. Build a ‘prayer first’ mentality and engage in all sorts of acts of worship such as charity, reciting the Quran, prayer, and so on. In order to maintain a perfect balance between your work, prayer, and household activities, there is no alternative to proper planning.
Other than that, ensuring the safety and security of your workplace at home is also completely in your hands. With these in mind, follow these methods to get things done while working from home during Ramadan. Do let us know in the comments below if you find the article to be helpful.
