Working from Home

As the globe continue to face the unusual effects of covid-19, with borders closing
and obviously disheartening loss of lives. It’s a scary time for literally everyone across the
planet. Majority of employees in Qatar are instructed to work from home to limit the
danger of infection being spread widely. I count myself as one of the fortunate individuals
who can work from home, staying safe from the pandemic. Thanks to the advance
technology, many professionals can now work from anywhere with a laptop and a high-
speed internet connection.

Initially, I had a hard time transitioning from office job to work-at-home, as I’m a
very social individual, staying home turns out to be mentally and physically draining. I
thought staying at home would be easy and exciting yet it isn’t so easy to focus on work
with all the distractions, especially when you have toddlers at home who are not calm and
quietest. And it’s also natural to want to spend time with them.

That being the case, Instead of lying in bed with a laptop or working on a dining
table. I quickly found a customized solution and arranged a space that is strictly my office
space. Additionally, I’ve also set up my own lighting and seating requirement which helps
me to stay more focused during my work hours. Even in normal times, it is not easy to stay
focused on work for long periods of time. During the time of COVID-19, it is even more
tempting to keep looking online for the latest updates. Unfortunately, this is likely to
reduce productivity and increase anxiety. In order to stay informed without getting stuck,
I scheduled 10 minutes of news checks for twice a day, once in the morning and once in
the evening.

While communication is an essential part of any team and without having

teammates sitting next to each other, I need to put extra efforts to reach them out and
keep everyone updated on progress. At work, you’re constantly involved in discussions,
meetings, scrum or just getting overall feedback from your employers and colleagues. All
of this is essential to working with more productivity and producing better results at the
end of the day. Working from home, on the other hand, still allows you some means of
virtual communication and messaging—but it’s simply not the same. When the meetings
are done over the Zoom/Skype, you need to make sure people can hear you clearly or it
will be disappointing.
 Nonetheless, “Every cloud has a silver lining”; Working from home has made eating
healthy, much easier. I need absolute minimal preparation to get ready for work. Possibly,
all I have to do is, wake up, get fresh, grab a mug of coffee and I’m good to go. I can work
on my comfortable pajamas without worrying about the formal dress. That being stated,
saving money on transportation and most importantly avoiding the traffic has become a
boon. Furthermore, I’m able to save travelling time to the office and spend a little more
time with family.

Generally, heading to the beaches, green yards of parks and dining in favorite
restaurants after workhours especially during weekends served as a stress buster. But
considering the fact that I have a home to stay, healthy food to eat and a job to make living
even during this crises reminds me to be grateful for all blessings I’m allowed to have.

If we stay united, we will surely withstand this pandemic. Qatar government is

ensuring the best health care and social protection for everyone. My deepest thanks go to
frontline workers and volunteers and all those who are by the side of people who have
fallen sick or who are vulnerable and isolated in the midst of this crisis. I feel immense
gratitude towards all those who trustingly open their hearts and give themselves fully to
bring the lights of love and hope into people’s lives at this dark time.

Mohammed Makeen
Email: mohammed.makeen@gmail.com
QID: 28535638296
Age: 34
Nationality: Indian
Designation: IT Engineer
Company name: Al Jaber Group LLC