Amidst the Covid-19 outbreak, most offices have already gone into a work-from-home process. The younger, tech-savvy crowd is all for it because most are already using apps like Slack, Basecamp and even the humble Facebook Messenger to communicate.

While working from home AND getting paid seems like a dream come true, it does have a few unexpected pitfalls.

Isolate properly

Firstly, it creates a false sense of security as you feel you now have all the time and all the freedom in the world to finish your task. Some of us are primed for such situations. Others are the exact opposite. Distractions come easily. You are in isolation but to get the work done quickly and efficiently, you need to isolate further. Case in point, I am writing this while my two-year-old daughter is in another room away from me. Simply put, having me around means she will keep coming to ask for something. And I am a sucker for her requests.

Those who don't have kids to distract will have pets, games or Netflix. This is not a tough life if all you have to do is stay home and work.

Sit right

Your desktop and chair need to be at an optimum height so your back and neck stay straight. Office chairs are often terrible. There is no adjustment unless raising the chair by a few inches using last year's annual report is an option. Home setup is usually no better because you don't anticipate doing a lot of work sitting down. Pay attention to posture. If you sit hunched, you get tired quicker and because you are at home, you feel the need to lie down. That is lost time in productivity.

Walk for a breather

Once you've found the right setup for yourself, remember to walk. Most of us live in apartment buildings with not a lot of options to take a walk. Currently, not recommended to go out where you risk mingling with others. The least you can do is to get up and walk around the house awkwardly bumping into furniture.

Watch your fluids

In the comfort of our homes, we forget to drink. It is easy to get dehydrated and tired. You can't risk that now. Because when the time comes for everything to go back to normal, you will need all your strength to convince making a commute back to work.