Ongoing fuel concerns due to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East have triggered austerity measures across the world, including work-from-home and hybrid work arrangements, and daily vehicular restrictions.
While India has yet to adopt remote work and online classes en masse, Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly urged the nation to consider returning to these modes, a la the COVID-19 era. State governments, including Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal, followed suit with varying measures. Delhi, however, has been among the most enthusiastic, introducing a two-day work-from-home policy for government workers and announcing online “non-practical classes” for schools and colleges. Compared to 2020, the push is still softer. However, students and professionals are already wondering how they can remain productive if such systems return.
According to experts, what makes or breaks productivity is discipline. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, the absence of daily commute disrupted routines for many professionals, affecting consistency and leading to a decline in their efficiency. If work-from-home is mandated again, professionals would do better to stick to their routines as much as possible, says Sumir Nagar, author and performance coach for young professionals. According to him, a lack of discipline could also affect communication and accountability. “Young working professionals must realise that a dip in employee productivity results in a dip in their companies’ profit margins, which will impact their own salaries and appraisals,” he says.
This break in routine was also detrimental to students’ performance during the previous lockdowns. “Students used to attend their online classes straight out of bed, as most schools could not force them to switch their cameras on,” says Vivek Thakur, founder of Scholar’s Den, a Delhi-based coaching institute for the JEE. If online classes are reintroduced, he advises students to set clear goals for themselves, especially to keep their attention spans intact. He also advises parents to monitor their children during their classes and ensure that they’re paying attention.
Both Sumir and Vivek note that being unable to interact with friends and peers made people feel isolated during the pandemic, affecting their motivation and discipline. Sumir believes that any work-from-home directives introduced today are unlikely to be as restrictive, and suggests that professionals step out and meet friends when possible, while also avoiding overwork and maintaining boundaries with managers. “Boundaries are non-negotiable,” he says. As for students, Vivek advises reducing screentime outside classes and spending more time on physical activities, reading, and family interactions to maintain mental balance.