The coronavirus that started in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, late last year, as a local disease, has spread and left a trail of destruction, misery, and pain across the world.

Thousands have died from it, scarcity of basic needs resulting in long queues, job cuts, loss of billions of dollars in revenue to both government and private businesses, and the sudden change of everyday lifestyles, are some of the effects of the virus, that has led to lockdowns of many countries as authorities struggle to stop its spread.

By the time of writing this article, the disease, whose initial symptoms include flu-like signs such as fever, coughing, myalgia, fatigue, and breathing difficulties, had killed over 21,000 people and spread to every continent.

Forty-eight of the 53 African countries have all confirmed cases of the viral disease, which mainly spread through touching the mouth, nose, and eyes when your hands have come into contact with infected surfaces.

Governments and business executives all over the world, have since asked billions of workers to either stay at home and work virtually if they can or have laid them off.

For many workers especially those on the African continent, working from home is a new concept, and striking a balance between family and work-life demands, at a time when children are at home, is an examination they will have to pass as no one knows when the virus will come to an end.

In this article, you will learn five key ways to having a productive day while working from home. The objective is to help you comfortably adapt to the sudden new “normal” caused by a virus that started thousands of kilometers away from you, after all, technology is making everything possible.

1. Create basic office space and atmosphere at home

An office does not have to be gigantic or with sophisticated furniture for you to be effective. The world is in a crisis and by now, your bedroom or reading room should have a chair and table, where you can work comfortably as you have been doing at the office.

A chair, table and the ability to create a very conducive mental, and physical environment to enable you to be productive in these times, are very critical if you must stay psychologically healthy. Go ahead and manage your home office today.

2. A good laptop/phone and a reliable internet is a must

In times like this, having a good laptop as a professional with a reliable internet connection becomes a great investment. Because of the regular power outages in most African countries, a laptop with a reliable charging system should be your companion in this coronavirus disruption times. With that in place, you can work and meet those deadlines without interruptions.

3. Ensure the family understands your new working circumstances.

It is obvious that for some parents with young children, working from home will be difficult. Children will run to you for different needs and complaints. They will all struggle for your attention, but when you first explain your new working condition to them, and make them understand your “new office conditions”, a lot gets done. Explain to them why you are isolating yourself in a room. If they are young, do not shoulder the responsibility of your caretaker if there is someone who has been performing this role. It may be hard from the beginning, but please understand that this pandemic may go on for a while, so the earlier you adjust to your new home- office environment, the better for you. After all, the children have been able to live without you, as you hustle in town.

4. Make a timetable and follow it

You already know that time is money. What that means is whenever you waste your valuable time on non-productive things, you are denying yourself opportunities that would earn you a better future. Many people who work in cities and urban areas, are used to waking up very early as they drop children to school, and get to the office just to avoid the morning traffic jam. Now you do not have to go through those hustles anymore. You, and the children, are at home under the same familiar settings. If you don’t make and follow a timetable, you are unlikely to achieve much. Working from home, especially in our African domestic settings, can be very difficult, but with discipline and strict adherence to a well-planned schedule, a lot can be accomplished.

5. Communicate frequently

In a traditional workplace environment, communication among staff or top executive is made easy through face to face meetings. But since you are working virtually, you must factor into your schedule to connect with your other colleagues through emails, WhatsApp messages, telephone or skype calls. This will require you to maintain a certain attitude and personal discipline. Create and maintain regular times to communicate with your colleagues on common projects being done so that the organization does not lose the team spirit already at play at the office.

Unfortunately, it has taken the coronavirus to teach us how to work from home but understand that because of technology and globalization, virtual offices have become the new “normal” way of working and we must all strive hard to remain productive despite our absence from the official settings.