Did you know that an average teen can spend up to 9 hours every day on Facebook? This may sound alarming to most of us, but this is the stock reality of these times. The average time spent by adults on social media is around 2 hours. However, some of us may not realize that we are spending a lot more time than that. The addiction of Facebook is more common than we may assume. Have we as humans become addicted to Facebook? Or this is just an adjustment phase after which things will be under control again? 

What is addiction of Facebook? How is it related to other addictions?

Social media addiction has been classified as an impulse control disorder by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Psychological Disorders (DSM-5). The typical cycle of an impulse control disorder is as follows: 

• The person experiences a strong urge or drive (impulse) to engage in the behavior. 
• Abstaining from fulfilling the urge leads to extreme levels of anxiety in the person. 
• The person engages in the behavior to get rid of the anxiety. 
• However, the relief from anxiety is short-lived and soon the impulse or the urge returns. 

Slowly and steadily, the person becomes dependent on social media or any digital App for the release of tension. In other words, digital life serves as a temporary escape from the upheavals of the real world. DSM-5 also considers gaming disorder to be a major part of internet addiction. We are all familiar with the tragedies created by popular digital games. Similarly, people are realizing the potential dangers of addiction of Facebook and other social media platforms.

Analogy between Substance Abuse and Internet Addiction 

Addiction is a type of impulsive behavior where an individual consumes a substance and slowly becomes dependent on it. Traditionally, addiction is caused by narcotic or recreational substances. However, addiction can also happen when a person indulges in other behaviors, such as social media, gambling, or gaming.  

Just like alcoholic experiences a strong urge to consume alcohol, a social media addict experiences a strong urge to post, comment, like, and share posts. The alcoholic is unable to control himself whenever he or she views a bottle of alcohol. Similarly, the social media addict is unable to control oneself by seeing the notification light of the phone blinking. Just like the alcoholic, who knows that drinking is a vice, the social media addict also knows the cons of constantly using and consuming content on social media. Yet both have little power to control their action. Therefore, we become addicted to Facebook. Consequently, this addiction to Facebook starts affecting our health and wellbeing.

How to know if you have Social Media Addiction? 

You can check for the following symptoms in yourself and find out if you have it: 

• Compulsive, excessive, and repeated engagement in social media. 
• Being unable to stop the activity. 
• Impaired judgment. 
• Being unable to control the behavior. 
• Craving the activity or behavior. 
• Being unable to recognize the consequences of the behavior (safety, financial, emotional, physical, death). 
• Strained work and personal relationships. 
• Inappropriate emotional response. 

If you have the above symptoms and the cause of this maladaptation is social media, you know that you have social media addiction. If you think you have any of these symptoms then it indicates that you may have an addiction to Facebook. For a more accurate diagnosis, please visit a psychologist. 

Why do people suffer from social media addiction?

Social media addiction may start off as a simple process. People just join the platform to increase their interaction with other people. However, over a period of time, they get more and more pleasures out of the platform. This pleasure comes from a cycle of positive feedback and self-verification. When you see people are liking your post, you feel good. It is obvious that anyone would want to indulge more in those activities that make one feel good. In addition, social media Apps often suggest such videos to you that you have liked in the past. Hence, they know your likings and preferences. Therefore, you start spending more and more time on social media.  

1. Psychological reasons

Some researchers view social media addiction as a self-regulatory failure. We all know our daily responsibilities. However, when we postpone our work in order to satisfy our urge to check social media or be available online for our friends and relatives, we are unable to regulate our actions to fulfill our top priorities. 

In addition, many of us suffer from FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). We often feel that if we do not check our social media Apps, we will miss some crucial information or news. Often, we feel embarrassed if we do not reply to messages and take pride in claiming that we reply to messages ASAP. We wrongly feel that if we do not check the notifications immediately, something terrible will happen. 

Certain biochemical factors may also force us to suffer from social media addiction. In general, social media addiction has been linked to the activity of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Dopamine controls the mechanisms related to rewards and learning in the brain. When we feel rewarded a large amount of dopamine is released in the brain. Now dopamine gives us a feel-good feeling. Hence, we would normally want to engage in activities that trigger the release of dopamine in the brain. Social media is one such activity that releases dopamine. In addition, when we see that others are liking and commenting on our posts, we feel rewarded. Therefore, it triggers the release of dopamine in the otherwise anxious person. Hence, the cycle of addiction becomes strong. 

2. Social Media are designed to be addictive

However, it is not just the individual who is to be blamed. The algorithm of social media Apps also plays a critical role in this addiction. These sites and apps are designed after careful research into how our minds work. The apps may you stay longer, interact more and share more. The effect may be more pronounced for those individuals who are already more vulnerable. However, at some level, we cannot escape the clutches of social media. To make the matters worse, companies like Facebook already know the adverse effects but encourage it. In a recent revelation by an ex-facebook employee, it was discovered that Facebook knew that Instagram is very bad for teens but they do nothing.

Nir Eyal has suggested that we are hooked on social media. This means that by design, these platforms trap us. He has suggested that the users get hooked to these platforms because it is designed in such a manner. Social media enhances the concept of gamification. We count the number of likes and comments on our post as if the number of likes and comments will make us win a game. They ensure that we get small pleasures from each interaction. It also makes us invested in the followers, likes, and comments. Therefore, it becomes very difficult to leave these platforms. Johari Window Model suggests that our personalities are viewed very differently by us and others. We are in constant turmoil between who we think we are who we want to be seen as.

How to overcome social media addiction? 

The good news is that you can overcome social media addiction by becoming a bit cautious and exercising a bit of self-control in your life. Here are a few ways which will definitely help you: 

1. Actively think about the negative consequences of your behavior. Doing so will enable you to develop insight into your addiction and identify it as maladaptive. 

2. “What gets measured gets controlled” is a famous proverb and wise people follow this. Download the digital well-being App on your phone and track your social media usage. 

3. Disable the notification setting on your phone. This may help you overcome the addiction of Facebook.

4. Engage yourself in exercise and leisure activities so that you have little time for social media. 

5. Experience the bliss of digital detox or the Joy of Missing Out (JOMO) once in a while. In other words, do not open any social media Apps for a day or two. 

6. Practice mindfulness. It is the most effective method of making one conscious of our activities and monitor our behavior. 

7. If none of these work for you, visit a therapist to receive professional assistance. 

The post Addiction of Facebook? How to cope and come out stronger? appeared first on Management Weekly.

Businesses around the world were jostled into an uncertain pandemic induced catastrophe. Supply chain related issues were usually not a matter of concern for CEOs. However, we saw some supply chain disruption examples in 2020 that have forced us to reconsider the fragility of our supply chains. 

Types of supply chain disruptions 

Supply chain disruptions can be in any form. However, it makes our analysis simpler if we typify them based on two factors: their severity and probability of occurrence. Firstly, we can easily bifurcate the disruptions based on their impact on the firm. We can classify events that have three levels of severity: low, medium, and high. Secondly, we can also look at events that have a higher probability of occurrence versus those that are less probable.  

Low severity events 

A low severity event is one that has few key features: firstly, it should only have a short-term impact.  One of the examples of such an event would be a weather-induced delay in transportation. Such events would impact the supply chain only in the short run. In the subsequent cycles, the supply chain works as usual. Secondly, it should have a low monetary impact. An event with a lower monetary impact like theft of a few items from a lot. Thirdly, it should have a lower downstream effect. For example, the impact of pilferage of a batch of goods would not impact the subsequent batches. It is a one-time event with no impact on subsequent cycles. 

Medium severity events 

The medium severity events are those that have an impact on the medium-term ranging from few weeks to months. If we consider an event such as damage to the warehouse, it is supply chain disruption examples. In such cases, the medium severity events will lead to losses that are reflected in the quarterly financial statements of a company. These events also have some downstream impact. However, their downstream impact would be moderate. For instance, disruption in the warehouse may increase the delivery time for the products. It could also impact other timelines like lead time.  

High severity events 

A high severity event would be most challenging for any supply chain manager. These types of events can have either long-term impact or higher monetary impact or down-stream impact on the supply chain or a combination of any of these. Firstly, certain disruptions can cause sustained damage for a long duration. These damages are typically reflected in the annual report as well. One of the examples would be covid19 induced impact on the supply chain. One of the long-term solutions to such supply chain disruption examples is through the development of resilience.

Firms relentlessly pursued to rectify the shock on their supply chains for several months. Secondly, we have events that have huge monetary impacts like a pandemic or extreme weather phenomena. A super-cyclone may destroy a factory leading to mega financial losses for a firm. Finally, we can also have high severity events that can throw the entire system into disarray. When the Covid19 struck the world, it not just caused the irregularity in the supply chain. It also led to the delays in delivery of products as well as major setbacks for R&D of new products as well.  

Likely events 

In a world of constant information, it is obvious that we need to focus our attention on pertinent issues. Supply chain management is no exception. While the managers are barraged with small and big issues, the question is what events typically draw the most attention? These are the high probability events. Organizational learning gives us a certain understanding of the internal and external environment. This helps us understand and predict such supply chain disruptions. The high probable events are therefore those events that are perceived to have a higher chance of occurring in a given time frame.

A simple example of this could the seasonality-induced disruption in the availability of raw materials. In an industry that relies on plant-sourced ingredients, a disruption in the crop cycle can mean a major setback. It can threaten production and therefore cause a major existential crisis. Similarly, weather phenomena like El Niño are also highly probable natural events. Similarly, the quickly escalating geopolitical problems in a country can also become highly probable based upon the past data on such situations. These events require a proactive action plan. 

Unlikely events 

While we have emphasized the importance of high probable events, we cannot undermine the low probable events in any case. These events, although less probable, can also be examples of supply chain disruptions. Examples of such events could be a global pandemic, terrorist attack, or a stock market crash. These events may not require immediate focus. Another perspective on this can also help us understand and deal with such events better. On an individual level, people fear terror attacks more than diseases like cancer. Although, statistically, the probability of the former is significantly lower. Managerial decisions are quite analogous to individual decisions. We tend to make common mistakes due to our biases.

One of the ways of avoiding these errors is to make scenario-based planning. When we assign a rough probability to an event and list down the possible course of action, we have potentially dealt with the issue before they occur. It is best to plan for the worst but one should have a fairly rational perspective towards the low probability events. Also, when the situation is dynamic and escalates, we can reclassify a low probability event into a high probability one. For instance, if we consider the case outbreak of a new highly contagious viral disease. In such a situation, we can proactively prepare for the disruptions in the supply chain and make alternative arrangements for procurement, transportation, warehousing, etc. to offset some of the impacts. 

Develop a proactive strategy towards supply chain disruption 

1. Continuous monitoring (not a system but as a culture) 

2. Scenario planning 

3. Predicting changes in demand and supply 

4. Speed of reaction 

5. Post disruption normalization

You may also consider doing an in-depth supply chain disruption analysis. This would help you calculate the total impact of the disruption.

The post Supply Chain Disruption Examples appeared first on Management Weekly.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a scary experience for many of us. Job losses and layoffs have been the order of the day. When companies are undergoing economic stresses, they are bound to let go. However, if you are caught between this crossfire then furloughed leave maybe a middle ground between unemployment and employment. 

What is Furloughed Leave? 

One of the easiest ways to understand furloughed leave is to consider it to be the opposite of temporary employment. Temporary employment means that the company seeks the work of individuals on a short term basis.  On the other hand, furlough means that the company is seeking the temporary unemployment of an employee. It is also called an extended leave of absence. 

During the tenure of the furloughed leave. The employee remains on the rolls of the firm.  Put all practical purposes, the employees considered being a part of the organization. However, there is no work expected and usually, the leave is unpaid in nature.  However, in the case of certain government employees furlough can be paid. 

 What are the advantages of furloughed leaves? 

1.  First and foremost, the person retains the job. Being retained even at no salary is better than being fired.
   

2.  Secondly, the employee is not considered to have taken a break.  In this situation that the furlough extends more than a year, it can have an impact on the resume of the person. This is taken care of by the furlough. The person shows continuous employment with a firm. 

3.  Furlough schemes are protected by government laws in some countries.  This means that the employees are protected from being exploited by a firm. However, in case of coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic, things have not been that clear.  

4.  It is applicable to all kinds of employees. You are covered if you are a full time or a part time employee. Additionally, it also covers certain agents working for a firm. 

The situation regarding furloughed leave in different geographies

United Kingdom 

Currently, in the United Kingdom, the government is paying about 60% of the salary to furloughed employees. This comes under the coronavirus job retention scheme or CJRS.  This scheme has been extended till 31st of March 2021.  The conditions for claiming furlough in the United Kingdom are: 

1.You must be a part of the pay as you earn or PEYE system. 

2.  Your job must have been started before 31^st of October 2020. 

3.  You must have a bank account with the Channel Island Bank, UK bank or the Isle of Man Bank to claim the benefits. 

United States 

On the other hand, United States is not new to the concept of furlough. Previously there have been furloughs during government shutdowns as well as during the recession. Certain companies in the United States have announced that although they are not paying for the furlough, employees will get other benefits.  Typically some of the benefits that are retained are health benefits and tax benefits. Sometimes the pension fund is also contributed by the employer. You need to check with the specifics with your HR team regarding this.  Certain rules regarding the furloughed leaves in United States: 

1.  The employees who are undergoing furlough, may claim the unemployment benefits. 

2.  Most of the workers can get dollars 600 per week for their unemployment benefit. 

Paid time offs are not counted within the gambit of the furlough period.  However, the employees continue to accrue whatever leaves they are entitled to.  For example, if you are entitled to 10 days of leave for six months. Then you would have accumulated that by being furloughed for six months. When you join back, you are entitled to take 10 days off as PTO.   

India 

There is a provision for furlough in some Indian Government departments. The officers of the defense forces can take a furlough.  They have sanctioned a pay that is roughly half of their original salary.  However, this entitlement is only for 20 days per year. However, in the private sector, there is still uncertainty in terms of the laws regarding the furlough. While on one hand, many companies have offered a haircut to the salaries of the working employees. On the other hand, some of the companies have asked employees to go on a furloughed leave until further notice.  

The Chief Human Resources Officer of Titan Limited, Raj Narayan said that it is the ideal solution for times when a company struggles with the cash flow.  Alternatively, another technique used by some of the other firms is to as for partial employment.  Employees are called for 50% of the days and they are paid accordingly.  This kind of arrangement is working in certain manufacturing companies.  

 European Union 

European Union is known for its extensive social policies. The governments that come under the EU have granted furlough for over 18 million people.  The respective governments are bearing the unemployment benefits. This could not be feasible for the very long term. However, owing to the recovery in many sectors, many people are returning to work.  Overall, the performance of the job market has been better in Europe compared to the United States.  The unemployment rate at the end of June was around 10% in the European zone. On the other hand, it was around 17.5% in the United States.  

The post What is Furloughed Leave? Everything You Should Know appeared first on Management Weekly.

We are on the crossroads of technological change. As the world moves towards industry 4.0,  we see a sea of change in the workplace. Some of which have nothing to do with technological changes. Let us understand what we mean by the Elastic Digital Workplace. Additionally, let us also look at how it is going to change The way we do our work.

Industry 4.0

Industry 4.0 Is another name for the 4^th industrial revolution. This revolution Is centered around the concept of automation and autonomous systems. However, it also talks about how we enhance our workplace. Although there is the fear of job losses and replacement of manual labor, the changes are also expected to enhance the quality of work. Further, it would help us have a better work-life balance.

Digital workplace

There are two major advantages of the digital workplace. Firstly, It makes the work more flexible. Employees have the freedom to choose their own working hours. On the other hand, it also reduces stress due to commuting.

However, there are some additional aspect when we talk about the digital workplace in the context of industry 4.0 . For instance there would be higher assistance in the tasks through automation.

Elastic digital workplace

Elastic Digital Workplace is another name for flexible work. However, it is more formal and planned.

An elastic digital workplace extends the workplace using information and communication technology. One of the pioneers in this area is Accenture. They have outlined some key areas to develop the elastic digital workplace. This can be considered as best practices as well.

The 6 best practices to develop elastic digital workplace

1. Culture and adoption
2. Elastic collaboration
3. Virtual work environment
4. Seamless networking
5. Distributed continuity
6. Adaptive security

Now we shall look at each of these to understand it better.

Culture and adoption

Culture is the core of any digital transformation. We know that from the last four decades of digital transformation in organizations. Some of the key issues plaguing remote work is not digital in nature. These are cultural aspects. Managers need to communicate effectively with their teams. It is also essential to maintain a balanced approach to work. One of the common complaints across the world is that off overworking due to COVID-19.

The best way forward is to have a corporate-level policy in this regard.  The guidance needs to come from the top. Human resource executives can plan training sessions for managers across the firm.

Elastic collaboration

Immediately after the COVID-19 breakout there has been a spike in the share prices for Zoom. This shows the importance of the telecommunication backbone. This is the backbone where the entire elastic collaboration stands.

Some of the leading firms have been quite proactive in the adoption of modern communication technologies.  In this regard, Accenture has suggested something else. They have proposed that the communication channels must act as a connector not just between the employees of the firm. It should also link the organization with the customers as well as vendors.

Virtual work environment

In this section, we shall talk about the technological challenges that need to be met. We are talking about infrastructure as well as the network.

Enterprise networks may not be designed keeping in mind the data requirements of an elastic digital workplace. The virtual work environment demands seamless cloud access to the data, software, and other services of the firm. The second critical aspect of VWE is mobile device adoption.

Seamless networking

We have talked about the devices and the enterprise network. However,  there are other challenges apart from the bandwidth requirements.

Firstly, the challenge is that of security. On the one hand, we have the enterprise security. One, on the other hand, we have employee level security.  Remote work environment may bring with itself its own set of challenges regarding security and data privacy. Reliable vendors can help you mitigate this problem.

Distributed continuity

This may seem like an oxymoron. However, here we are talking about work continuity regardless of distributed employees. Anyone who has worked in an office will be able to relate to this problem. It is difficult to manage remote work for a few employees.

When an entire office works from home things become pretty complicated. Add to that, the issues due to government-imposed restrictions on travel. All these changes can easily disrupt the work.

Adaptive security

We already see that there is an overlap between the different recommendations under the elastic digital workplace. However, the presence of various types of devices would induce new types of vulnerabilities. Some of these could be totally unknown.

The security management and handling need to be robust enough to handle any exceptions. Additionally, there must be processes to apprehend and escalate any violations of security protocols. It is imperative that some of these are automated.

The future work and the Elastic Digital Workplace

There have been mixed results from the pandemic induced EDW. While some companies have reported an increase in productivity, others have reported a reduction. Also, it has been a cost-saver for some firms as they are saving on office running costs. However, some firms have reported an increase in operating costs. However, the future is the Elastic Digital Workplace.

Indian IT giant, Tata Consultancy Services has reported that its costs have gone up due to the COVID-19 lockdown. However, they have also said that they are planning to make work from home(WFH) permanent for about 75% of their workforce by 2025. Currently, around a fifth of their employees WFH.

The post Elastic Digital Workplace: explained appeared first on Management Weekly.

What is our immediate reaction when hit by a crisis? Do we think about others, our neighborhood, and society? A crisis can come in many forms to us; often when we are not prepared for them. It is in a situation like this, especially, when survival for the fittest comes into play. It is only through the right actions and right thinking at the appropriate time that we can make survival happen, not only for us but also for people around us. But, do we invest ourselves in the right ways? Thinking rationally can be very crucial in such stressful times. Read this article to know more about thinking rationally and how to do so in times of crisis.

What does thinking rationally imply?

Being rational refers to a state of awareness of the information (such as any data or opinions) prevalent around us, organize it and come to a sound conclusion. When speaking for a group or a social situation, being rational even more becomes important. As scientists put forward, when thinking from a rational perspective, there is a major change in the belief system which further alters the decision making of a person. Thus, we come closer to reality.

Even though being objective is the need of the hour in times of crisis, we cannot negate the most essential aspect of human existence, i.e. emotions. Scientists also suggest that over time, these emotional values blend with the objectivity and the automaticity thus derived can make us quite efficient in dealing with the situation in hand.

Emotionally intelligent individuals are usually better able to cope with stress. In situations, like the COVID-19 pandemic, having a high emotional quotient is crucial. Please read our previous article on enhancing emotional intelligence.

Can we steer our minds to think rationally?

The answer is yes. Research suggests that even if our minds do not function in automaticity to think logically, we can make ourselves practice and achieve it over time. Rational thinking is more of a process; though enhancing rational thinking may be effortful however, it comes handy for various life situations and acts as a powerful life skill.

In the context of crises like pandemics, it can especially be unnerving to think straight, we might often lead ourselves into situations of panic, anxiety, rash decisions, and even feel deep sadness. However, just with a little bit of planning and preventive care, we can reduce the risks and stresses during a pandemic, such as developing a care plan, following up with the nearby medical facility and surveying about the availability of other primary facilities.

How can we boost mental health in these times?

Plan

Being aware of the information around us is wise. However, overthinking about it steers a thought process that can largely lead to mental exhaustion. In order to minimize overthinking, we need to keep ourselves engaged. For instance, if we need to go grocery shopping, we can make a list in advance. In addition, we can plan which store to visit and how far it is from our place.

Altruistic Activities

Observing if others around us need any aid and if we can help them in any way. It is a human tendency to feel good when we help someone. This is primarily because it uplifts our self- esteem for several reasons, especially the feeling of belongingness. However, this works in two ways. It is not only wise to help others but also to ask for help if when we are in need. We should not hesitate in getting in touch with the social care workers or avail the facilities of helpline numbers. This being most vital for the elderly.

Decide your priorities

Thinking rationally entails deciding priorities. Allot time for daily chores and tasks. Tasks at priority should be done first. For instance, meeting the primary needs (since survival is the goal in times like these) is a priority. This said we should not ignore the activities which give us pleasure. Taking out time for personal interests is likely to uplift positive emotions. For instance, we can read, exercise or engage in other vocational activities that give us pleasure. After all, survival is not the only goal, quality of life is equally vital.

Limit Social Media

Everyone wants a peek on the updates in times like these. However, the amount of information being absorbed can be a matter of concern. It thus becomes necessary to limit our exposure to media activities. Rather we can spend that time talking to people in our surroundings. Following safety guidelines and build a conscious understanding of what is going around is also important. Spending more time in self-introspection will most likely lead to less confusion and achieve better decision making.

Workplace

In a workplace context, there are three rules of thumb- Plan, Action and Follow up. Follow the guidelines below:

• Create manuals for people’s awareness

• Maintain a calm work organization in times of frenzy

• Communicate action plans and emergency operations with the authorities and the employees in need

• Identify safe workspaces, like work from home or coming to the physical office space if conditions allow.

Conclusion

With the change in the course of a pandemic (for the worse), it might get difficult when all our planning fails. The safety of our family and loved ones might be an emotional turmoil for some. Yet we should try to maintain a balance and take precautions ourselves before stepping out to help others.

The post Thinking rationally during a pandemic appeared first on Management Weekly.

Working from home has historically been a positive step by organizations but it may be stressful for some people. Stress further increases for many when we are compelled by the global coronavirus pandemic to do so. Instead, being forced to work from home might lead to stress and burnout. In fact, a report by the International Labour Organization found that working from home leads to about 64% higher chances of stress compared to working from the office. Read this article to find out how to reduce stress and burnout while working from home during COVID-19.

This article is an extension of the previous one where we have suggested action points. These activities are likely to reduce work from home stress during COVID-19. Working from home during coronavirus pandemic has several pros and cons. You may check out our previous article on work from home during COVID-19 to find out more.

Avoid Overworking:

You have probably read hundreds of articles that advise you to not overwork. However, you still might not be able to manage the time you are working or overworking. This is because you may be constantly juggling between chores: sometimes cooking, sometimes cleaning, sometimes child-rearing and sometimes performing occupation-related work. Multi-tasking has been found to be an antecedent of stress and burnout. Time management is important now more than ever.

A small activity would let you prevent overworking. Every night before going to sleep complete the following 2 sentences:

• I will not switch on my workstation before _______ ‘o clock in the morning.
• I will shut down my workstation by ______’o clock in the evening.

This will make you cautious about your working hours, leading to lesser work from home stress during COVID-19.

Download the FREE activity sheet PDF at the end of this article to help you take on the WFH challenge in the highest spirits!

Focus only on what you can control:

Most employees have ben working from home for a couple of weeks now. You may hence, be aware of most things that irritate you and stress you out. Make a list of the top things that frustrate you throughout the day. Then, classify them into two columns.

Making this list will help you get a clear understanding of what you can and cannot control. All of us know that stressing out about something beyond our control is futile and damaging for our health. Hence, channelize your cognitive energy in a fruitful way to get the maximum out of your day.

Child-related issues:

The primary reason why I am including this point here is that over the past few weeks, I have notices significant surge in queries related to child-rearing during lockdown or self-isolation.

It is a good decision to not scold your child during this period of crisis. They do not understand the outside situation. Hence, when their school is closed and they see you home all day, they are likely to think it’s a vacation. This makes it crucial to be polite to them and not punish them too harshly. However, this in no way implies that they can behave in an undisciplined manner.

Make the following list regarding your child’s daily schedule:

• When do they wake up?
• What time do they take their meals?
• When do they nap?
• What time do they watch the television?
• When do they play?
• What is their bedtime?

Please add any other relevant activity that consumes significant duration of your child’s day.

Making this list will give you a much clearer picture of what you already know about your child. Then, make a decision regarding when you cannot work from home because you have to attend to your child. Most of us will not be able to work during their meal times, an hour after they wake up and an hour before they go to bed. Do not commit to your team members that you will work during these times. Also, do not schedule your own work or personal leisure during this time. It will end up making you stressed out unnecessarily.

Now find out the time slots during which you can work. Since most of you wake up hours before your kids, you can probably finish some work in the morning before they are up. You can also work when they are watching the television or taking a nap. You will find that you have sufficient time for all your chores if you organize your day a little. Such an organization is likely to reduce work from home stress during COVID-19.

How will you keep them engaged during their waking hours?

• You have to sit them down and tell them that the lockdown is not a vacation- not for them and definitely not for you.
• There are several online learning platforms for kids. Download them and ask your child to pretend that they are in a real classroom and attend the lesson as if they are in school. This will keep your child busy while you finish your work. If you do not find any suitable online course, you can spend some time creating your own online learning game for your child using Kahoot. It is easy and fast.
• Every child has a hobby. Find out what your child loves to do and nudge him or her to spend at least an hour on it.
• Remember to appreciate your child’s efforts and reward them for good behavior. Thank them when they do not interrupt you during your work.
• Lastly, spend some quality time with them. Children crave for your attention. If you do not give them sufficient attention, they will interrupt you to grasp your attention!

Conclusion

Thank you for reading. You may download an editable PDF of the activities by clicking the button below. Please let us know your thoughts in the comment section and if you liked the article please share it with others. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to be aware of our latest articles.

The post Reduce COVID-19 work from home stress appeared first on Management Weekly.

Researchers and managers have historically considered work from home to be a positive step to ensure work-life balance empowering working mothers, adults taking care of ailing parents or the physically disabled. Employees all over the world considered work from home to be an employee-friendly policy. Here, we shall discuss some tips for stress-free Work from home.

On the other hand, there are contradictory pieces of evidence too. A study on 3962 respondents, conducted by Livemint, reported that working from home was associated with unpleasant feelings and lower subjective wellbeing. Steve Jobs hated work from home. He said the following.

There’s a temptation in our networked age to think that ideas can be developed by email and iChat. That’s crazy. Creativity comes from spontaneous meetings, from random discussions. You run into someone, you ask what they’re doing, you say ‘wow,’ and soon you’re cooking up all sorts of ideas.

– Steve Jobs

COVID-19 has made it mandatory for most employees to work from home. Many people have self-quarantined themselves as a precautionary measure against the disease. This poses both challenges and opportunities. The most evident and obvious advantage of work from home during Covid-19 is #stayhomestay safe. So take this time to sit back and actively pursue a stress-free work from home.

5 advantages of working from home:

1. Get adequate sleep. Most of us would agree that a typical working day does not allow us to get adequate sleep (7-9 hours). Staying at home gives us some additional hours which we can utilize to sleep well. In addition, you can choose to work at night if you are a night owl or work in the morning if you are an early riser.
2. Home food: Many of us rely on canteen food for lunch and snacks despite knowing that such food might not be best for our health. Working from home gives the opportunity to have nutritious home-made food.
3. Save commute time: Most of us spend at least an hour commuting to and from office. This quarantine during COVID-19 not only saves that time but also decreases stress and fatigue associated with travel. You also do not have to engage in legwork.
4. Time with family: Working from home allows us to be near our family all day. You do not have to worry about your children being alone or your parents feeling lonely. In addition, you have the option of engaging in fun activities with your family.
5. Pursue hobbies: We can spend some time pursuing our childhood hobbies that got lost due to our adult responsibilities.

Check out 10 cool things to do during self-quarantine

5 disadvantages of working from home:

1. Cognitive clutter: Dealing with both home and work responsibilities at the same time can blur work non-work boundaries. This can easily overwhelm people who are working from home for the first time and for a prolonged duration of time. Dealing with both sets of responsibilities at the same time can be challenging and might leave you exhausted.
2. Lack of private space: If you live in a large house with separate rooms for all members, you are lucky. However, many people share rooms with siblings, spouse and sometimes children. Your children might think you are on vacation when they see you ate home and might demand your time and attention. Elders at home might want to have a conversation. All this might make you miss your little office space. Being at home all day for a prolonged time might lead to more domestic conflicts. You might unknowingly encroach the space of your spouse or your children might try some naughty tricks.
3. Loss of co-worker support: Some of our colleagues become our dear friends with whom we share your thoughts and feelings. Co-workers are often able to provide solutions to our problems as they are likely to deal with similar issues in their life. Loss of co-worker support might create a void in our lives and increase our stress levels. Therefore, stay in touch and help one another to make your work from home stress-free.
4. Time management: Many of us are not very good time managers. You may use goal setting techniques to manage your time. When work becomes unstructured, we lose track of time. As a result, we either overwork or do not complete our work. One powerful tip for work from home would be to balance it out.
5. Lack of technical infrastructure: The workplace provides resources like conference rooms, high-speed internet and a lot more to employees. Such resources are not present at home. Interactions and discussions happen online which might lead to lapses in communication. Industry 4.0 enables new ways to connect with your workplace.

How to deal with the challenges of WFH?

Some people are enjoying working from home during COVID-19. However, for others being locked at home for days together may be very challenging. Those in despair might try the following suggestions to overcome the challenges and spend a peaceful time with their family.

1. Prioritize your family: When the demand to deal with both work and family responsibilities overwhelms you, take a step back from your work. If your children demand your attention consider spending some time with them. If your mother has something to tell you, listen to her. Of course, if you are in an online meeting, you can request them to come back later. However, if you are finishing your assignment, it is better to interact with your family if they wish to do so. Remember, your parents are already anxious about the new disease and your child is probably too small to understand the situation. Be there to emotionally support your family.
2. Never respond when you are angry: Do not react to your family or co-workers when you are experiencing intense anger. Your angry words might make your surroundings even worse. At times, you need to be assertive. Mind your tone. Politely request your family to give you some time alone. You may also consider working on your emotional intelligence because people with high emotional intelligence are better able to remain calm during emotionally-provoking situations. Please read our article on enhancing emotional intelligence in order to find ways to enhance your emotional intelligence.
3. Create your spot and schedule: Many people cannot focus when someone is staring at them or someone is sitting too close to them. If you have a big house, shift to the other room. Otherwise, build a small workplace. If you share your room with someone, consider working in the dining room. Use a bed table if someone else is using the study desk. Consider sitting in a position where you cannot see your family members’ faces directly. If there are children in the house plan some activities for them during your working hours. Also, work in small slots of 1-1.5 hours and let your family members know your working slots.
4. Use social media to connect with friends: You can easily seek social support from peer groups on the phone or WhatsApp. When you miss your peers too much remind yourself that work from home is a temporary arrangement and you will soon be working in your usual office. Also, allow your children to do the same. Lockdowns and separation from school and playgroups can be very stressful for them. Let them talk to their friends on the phone.
5. Acceptance of the situation: All of us need to accept the fact that we have to make some adjustments to reduce the risk of suffering from Covid-19. Your child will demand your attention and the internet will be slower in your home as compared to your office. Be patient. If the problem is acute and you are not able to connect online for work, take a break. Get your chores done, spend time with your family, watch a funny video, have some tea and then come back again. This will help you increase productivity during work from home during COVID-19. Therefore, a stress-free work from home is totally achievable.

A final word on stress-free work from home

If you follow these simple tips, you can lead content and stress-free life. Also regularly visit this page to take note of what are the areas that you can improve your life.

Also, read our second article of the work from home during Covid-19 series to know about activities to reduce stress. I hope that these tips will help you in maintaining a stress-free Work from home. You can also download the free worksheets for the same here or click on the link below:

FREE worksheet to reduce WFH stress

The post A guide to stress-free Work from home in 2021 appeared first on Management Weekly.

COVID-19 is hitting humankind hard. Most of us are unable to engage in a lot of our daily activities. Staying back at home can be boring and exhausting. If you are working from home, you might be experiencing Zoom fatigue (tiredness accompanying prolonged meetings via video calling software, especially Zoom). Here is a list of 10 things you can do alone at home without your gadgets.

Sleep: Most of us hardly get enough deep sleep in our working days. Covid-19 has given you the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to stay back at your home. Utilize this time to get 7-9 hours of undisturbed sleep.

Clean: Maintaining good personal hygiene is desirable for both physical and mental health. Use this time of self-isolation to clean and re-arrange your home. Clean the refrigerator, your cupboard, mop the floors, wipe the furniture, sanitize doorknobs. This will not only keep you engaged but also help reduce the risk of getting the disease.

“By asking some employees to not come to office, our goal is to reduce density and risk for everyone else,” – Andrew Macdonald, Uber

Pamper yourself: This might not be the best time to go out and pamper yourself in parlors and salons. Try out home-made face packs, hair masks, pedicures, and manicures. Most face packs and hair masks can easily be made at home with ingredients that are already there in your cupboard. In case you do no know how to make one, you can always read online blogs or search on YouTube. Your body deserves extra attention and pampering.

Practice meditation and yoga: Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, many paid Android Apps for yoga and meditation (like Downdog and many others) have become free for a limited duration of time. Try them out. Yoga and meditation will also boost the immune system and improve overall health and fitness.

Re-visit old photo albums: Take a walk down the memory lane and have a look at old photographs. Looking at pictures of your family and close ones can really cheer you up if you are anxious. You might also share special photos with your friends and family and use it as an opportunity to re-connect.

Call an old friend: Our busy lives hardly allow us time to have a conversation with school and college friends. We tend to distance ourselves and lose connections even if we do not want to. Since COVID-19 has made most of us confined to our homes, you can call your old friend because he or she is also likely to be home. Cherish a long conversation with your loved one. This also helps reduce the stress associated with the fear of the disease. Sharing your emotions with someone is a catharsis.

Read a book: The hustle-bustle of our busy life hardly leaves any time for reading. Now is a good opportunity to grab a book and read. In case you do not have any unread book, you can download the Amazon Kindle App and purchase an e-book and start reading in no time.

Write your journal: This seems a bit preachy but try it out: writing about your emotions and thoughts helps us get things in perspective. COVID-19 has caused widespread fear and anxiety. Writing will help you acknowledge your fears and thereby reducing anxiety.

Cook a meal: For those who enjoy cooking, this time of isolation is a great opportunity. In case you do not enjoy cooking, you can still do it to pass the time. Call your mother and get her secret recipes! In case you want to try out different cuisines you can always look up online.

Lastly, wash your hands! The World Health Organization recommends washing hands for at least 20 seconds after touching any frequently touched surface, before eating meals and after using the washroom. Also maintaining a social distance of at least 1 meter with any other person reduces the risk of getting COVID-19.

The post 10 things to do during COVID-19 lockdown appeared first on Management Weekly.