Before this year, working from home was a professional benefit that many dreamed of having. Several months into a pandemic that has made remote work a necessity, people are quickly learning that it isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be. Bringing your work home was supposed to provide convenience and reduce the stress of commuting to and from the office.
What people realize in this new arrangement is that not every home is a conducive environment for working. Many home spaces weren’t designed with a private home office. Working from home has blurred the lines between our professional and personal life.
Want to upgrade your work-from-home experience? Here are our tips:
Pick one work area and stick to it
While lounging around with your laptop in bed seems like a good idea, it isn’t a sustainable way to work. Even if you don’t have space for a dedicated office in your home, invest in a good desk and carve out a work corner. Make sure to position it near a window or a source of natural light. The view will improve your mood and give you something to look at when you experience strain from staring at your screen.
Follow your pre-pandemic schedule
To establish a sense of normalcy in your work environment, try sticking to your old schedule. Wake up at the same time, and enjoy your breakfast as you used to. Give yourself a few minutes of exercise or take a short stroll in place of commuting to work. End the day at around the same time to make time for your friends, family, and hobbies.
Dress up before you “go to work”
It might be tempting to stay in your pyjamas all day, but laziness can affect your mindset. You don’t need to put on a suit and tie, either. Pick a few comfortable yet presentable outfits so you can answer video calls without worrying about people seeing you in your underwear. Getting ready and dressing up for work can also set your mood for the day and help you focus on your job.
Take frequent breaks
Working at home can still be more stressful than being at an office. Despite trying to mimic your previous schedule, you may need more frequent breaks than usual. Plenty of people feel fatigued after attending a two-hour conference call. Don’t wait for the stress to build up. Stand up, stretch from your desk, take a 15-minute stroll outside, and pause for coffee throughout the day.
Check out at a specific hour
At the end of each workday, make a conscious effort to stop working. Some colleagues may have a different philosophy, but keep in mind that you control your own time. Choose not to respond to requests or emails past a certain hour. Limit work concerns on a weekend unless it’s an emergency. Since you can’t have a physical separation of work and personal life, you need to be firm about enforcing a psychological one.
Conclusion
Despite its pitfalls, working from home isn’t all terrible. Technological advances have allowed us to stay safe at home while the virus makes its way worldwide. Remote work has also allowed businesses to survive despite the mounting challenges.
If you are fortunate enough to work from home, you can take steps to make the setup more beneficial to you. You can do this by making deliberate choices about separating work and home life, even if the barriers are imaginary. At the end of the day, what is crucial is that you preserve your mental health to make the arrangement sustainable.
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