By now you probably have figured out how to effectively work from home. The idea of working from home is appealing. The ability to work in pajamas, sleep in later, spend time with your family, and maybe even squeeze in a midday workout. But the reality is, that re-adjusting your schedule and mind to work at home is more challenging than one might think. For those of you that haven’t quite adjusted, here are some tips on how to stay productive and keep your morale high.
First things first, try and keep some semblance of a morning routine. We suggest eating your breakfast, washing your face, and definitely putting on pants. Next, move to your designated location. Of course, not everyone has a home office, but it should be a place other than your bed or couch. A place or room, that once your work day is over, you leave that space and don’t come back until your next work day. This will also be super beneficial in shutting out distractions or letting your significant other or family know that when you’re in that place, it’s “work-time” not “play-time.”
In addition to having a designated workspace, it’s important to also try and keep clearly defined working hours. It can be harder once you're at home to “turn off.” You might slowly see yourself extending work hours just to get one more thing done. You have to hold yourself accountable and really tell yourself when it’s time to put work away and assure yourself that it will still be there in the morning. Separating your work and home life, even though they are taking place in the same area, will help establish balance in your life and allow you to be more present during the non-work hours.
It can be hard in the midst of this isolation to completely forgo the social interaction that you usually get from working in an office. I mean it’s scientifically proven how important social interaction is for our mental well being. To help fill this hole of loneliness, try calling a coworker or colleague that you can chat with. It also helps to do a video call instead of just instant messaging. If you’re also struggling with communication with your boss or coworkers, the same thought process applies! Don’t hesitate to reach out to people you usually wouldn’t. These are challenging times and over communication is always better than miscommunication.
Our last tip might be the easiest and the most rewarding. Get some fresh air! Naturally, we must all take precautions when going outside and coming in contact with other people, but it’s so important to take a break from the indoors, open your windows, and step outside. We no longer have commutes or lunch breaks that give us this time to take a break from our work. That’s why it’s so important that you build in this time for yourself. Taking a walk outside, reading a book, or even just listening to some music will you give you some much needed time to decompress.
As a conclusion, remember everyone works differently. Some people are adjusting to this change with no problem, and others are struggling. It’s important to stay understanding and remember this is only temporary!
