With the current outbreak of the Coronavirus disease, also known as COVID-19, many private enterprises, companies and civil servants have adopted the idea of “working from home” or splitting offices to reduce the number of employees in the workplace over a prolonged duration. This flexible workplace idea is largely also an emergency ‘social distancing’ measure that may significantly help to minimise the number of people being affected. However, most of us might not be used to this working arrangement. Worry not! Here are 3 tips to help you stay productive at home.

1. Establish Constant Communication

With everyone working from home, it can be challenging to communicate with your teammate immediately. In this case, companies and departments can explore the option of setting up video chats and phone calls with the relevant teammate on a regular basis during office hours. Another solution that organisations can try would be establishing teleconferencing and collaboration tools that can help teams to be more productive. These tools include the following free applications that are available on android, iOS, Mac and Windows:

• Slack: A collaboration tool where you can send direct message and files to a group or user. You can also easily create a voice and video calls too.
• Trello: An online corkboard where you can organize the “cards” into different lists so everyone on your team can be updated on your work progress.
• G-Suite: Connect and access all files and documents instantly wherever you are. All your colleagues can also create documents on-the-go, and everyone will be able to see the updated docs on Google Drive too.

2. Find your Work-life balance

Trying to squeeze everything into just 24 hours is hard! In addition, most of us could be quite new to the idea of working from home and would find it hard to work for a straight 8 hours at home, like in our office environment. In this case, you need a clear plan.

With applications like G-suite’s calendar application, it allows all to see everyone’s schedule without calling or messaging. It can also clearly state all the meeting details and time that one has to take note. Considering all of these important timings, start planning your other workload around it with the idea of time-blocking and also including small breaks in between. This can help one to stay productive and not burnt out while working from home. You can also share the list with your team members to get their inputs if they need some projects to be cleared on that day.

With so much time spent at home during the outbreak of Coronavirus, we should all still strive to achieve a work-life balance and to also stay mentally and physically healthy.

3. Declutter Your Space

Living in a tidy and organised space allows you to be more productive while you work from home. By having a clean home, it would also look good and professional when you are having a video teleconference with your teammates or clients.

Did you know by organising and keeping your home orderly and decluttered, it provides you with a space to focus and be more productive too? Especially during this Covid-19 outbreak situation, having a clean space helps you improve the overall indoor air quality, sleep better and reduce the chances of getting sick. Here are more ways to keep your home clean.

During this period, if you need a storage space to store all those hardly used items or big bulky boxes of personal and family items, come store them all at Extra Space Asia Self-Storage! By storing your items in a self-storage unit, you will be able to enjoy extra space to work and rest. After all the decluttering, it would also be much easier for you to clean, vacuum and sanitize all surfaces at home when necessary.

On top of keeping our home clean and organised, it is also important that we practice social responsibility during this crucial period. This includes observing good personal hygiene, monitoring our own health conditions and staying at home to rest if unwell. Please see a doctor if you have fever, cough and difficulty in breathing. We should also practice and maintain social distancing of at least 1-2 metre between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing. Social distancing reduces transmission of the Covid-19 virus effectively and lessen the impact on the already stretched healthcare services. We should abide to social distancing especially at public spaces like our offices, hawker centers, supermarkets, shopping malls etc. where the flow of people tend to be higher.

Lastly, we hope that everyone will continue to stay safe and healthy. Please also be kind and support one another during this Covid-19 period.

 
By: Michelle Lee

It’s the time of the year again. Shopping malls are all decked out in red and the music being played is all too familiar, on an endless loop no less, “Gong Xi Gong Xi Gong Xi Ni Ya!”. This can only mean that the Chinese New Year is here!

New year, new beginnings. Exciting times ahead indeed. According to the Chinese zodiac, the year 2020 is the Year of the Metal Rat, and it marks the start of the zodiac’s 12-year cycle.

What does the year ahead hold for us? We’ve consulted our in-house fortune teller (who moonlights as our Head of Operations – wait, or was it the other way around?), and here’s a sneak peek of what to expect in the coming months!

Career

This is the year to be decisive and act! Carpe diem! It’s a good year for professional opportunities, be it climbing the corporate ladder or landing that dream job you’ve been eyeing for a while. Of course, it’s not going to be as smooth-sailing as speed bumps and obstacles are bound to crop up. However, take these obstacles not as a hindrance but a challenge and opportunity to bring out the best in you. Be confident and determined in following your goals, and we have no doubt that you’ll definitely achieve them. We’re rooting for you! (so are those who are expecting bigger red packets from you)

Love

To those who have yet to find their other half, Chinese New Year gatherings and reunions are indeed a dreaded time. Brace yourself for countless interrogations and well-intentioned matchmaking services from your relatives. It’s a good time for love connections, as it is predicted to be a peaceful year for love. Relationships with your loved ones, your significant other or friends and family will be harmonious and also breed goodwill. As in all relationships, communication is key. So, be honest and truthful with one another, and thy love shall blossom.

Lifestyle & Health

2020 calls for a radical lifestyle change – it could be as drastic as a move abroad or simply changing your daily routine. Being too stagnant in life is not a good thing, so make that change happen this year! It could be something as small as deciding to take the public commute to work instead of driving, to giving up a bad habit (such as smoking), or even something as major as moving homes! Just saying: should you choose to move houses and need a temporary storage solution, do reach out to us at Extra Space Asia and know that you’ll be in good hands.

In terms of well-being, good health is expected all-year. Sports, in particular, has been highlighted as a good way to maintain good health for the Year of the Rat. Incorporating sports into your life will not only improve your quality of life, it has also been proven to enhance your quality of sleep and boost higher productivity. Keeping active, that’s a win-win-win all year!

Looks like it’s shaping up to be an exciting year ahead! Changes are bound to happen but take them in your stride, and 2020 will be your best year yet! To those who celebrate, “Gong Xi Fa Cai” from us all at Extra Space Asia! May the year ahead be filled with success, happiness and prosperity!
By: Kenny Ng

With Chinese New Year just around the corner, most households would be busy cleaning up their home and sweeping away the bad luck to usher in all the good luck!

Here’s a fun fact, did you know that there is an auspicious date to do your home spring cleaning? According to the traditional schedule for Chinese New Year preparations, the house cleaning should be done on the 24^th day of the 12^th Lunar month, which happens to be 18th January 2020 this year.

We’ve prepared 3 tips to help tackle your Spring Cleaning more efficiently in a short time period.

1. Focus on the furnishing, appliances and carpets

Chinese New Year is the best opportunity to declutter and organise all the items. Start your spring cleaning routine this year by throwing away those items which you have not used for the past year.

Once you have decluttered, focus on items which are more visible such as your doorway carpet, floor areas and big fixtures like your ceiling fans. Start shaking and washing your carpet to keep them clean so that they can trap all the dirt from your visitor’s shoes before entering your home. After which, vacuum areas under the furniture. Remember to also remove the dust on your ceiling fans and light fixtures with a cloth or a vacuum with a soft nozzle attachment.

2. Engage a helper to aid you in your Spring Cleaning

If you’re really lack of time or too tired to clean up your home after a long day at work, consider engaging an external help to aid you through the cleaning process! Try Helpling, a website that helps you find quality part-time cleaners at a day and time of your choosing! They also offer extra services like interior window cleaning, fridge cleaning at the same hourly rate. You can now relax and enjoy a clean home at the same time when you outsource the cleaning process.

3. Short Term Self-Storage Solution

Planning to host a reunion this Lunar New Year but lack of space to accommodate all your guests? Don’t fret, you can always free up some space in your home with self-storage providers like Extra Space Asia that offers both short-term and long-term self-storage solutions.

Choose to store from as short as 14 days to as long as you need. What’s more, you can start with a bigger storage unit to store all your big furniture, personal items and seasonal rarely used items. And when it’s time to retrieve them, you can scale down your storage space to a smaller unit anytime!

One key benefit of using a self-storage unit is you can enjoy round-the-clock access to your personal items! That means if you need something urgently during the festive period, you can always visit your storage unit to retrieve them.

Extra Space Asia’s Chinese New Year Promotion

This festive season, simply solve the puzzle on our Extra Space Asia website to unlock your exclusive CNY discount! The promo code will entitle you to an additional 5% discount on top of all prevailing promotions. For every successful sign-up, you will also be able to receive a Limited Edition Extra Space Asia Red Packet set.

Don’t miss out on this sweet deal ending 31^st January 2020.
By: Michelle Lee