Working from home isn’t always easy. Whether you have been working from home already or have recently found yourself navigating through this new experience, there are some tips to help you get the most out of your workday.
Create A Healthy Workspace
First, you need to have a designated workspace. Our brains are hardwired to switch between common tasks depending on the place we are in. You are most likely to feel sleepy in the bedroom and hungry in the kitchen. You are most likely to feel like sitting and watching TV in the living room. Because we commonly do certain tasks in certain areas, we unknowingly train our brains to capitalise on those tasks in those areas.
This can be detrimental if you try to work in a place where your brain has already been trained to relax in. One way you can take advantage of this is to create a designated workspace. This will help you to carve out a place in your home that will help you to focus and get the most done each day.
‘Create a sanctuary free from distractions, a space that supports your positive and focused mind-set, and it helps to create transitions between work/home life (as you no longer physically leave the house and transition!)’
–Professional Organiser Becky Stanton
Your workspace should be somewhere that facilitates focus and productivity. Have it somewhere that is going to have the least noise and distractions. You should also have a tidy workspace that contains all you will need to be successful.
Respect Your Routine
Your brain is also hardwired to fall into familiar routines. If your routine has been recently disturbed, then you need to fill it with a new one. Wake up at the same time every day, get ready in the same order, and start work at the same time. This will help your brain to find order in the chaos and switch to “work” mode instead of “home” mode, even if you are still at home.
Different people work better at different times of the day, so you have the flexibility now to schedule and set up your day to reflect your personal preferences. Schedule harder tasks when you are most alert and breaks when you need them most. Don’t be afraid to do what feels right.
Set Up The Right Tools
You may also need new tools to help you complete your work from home. This may include software like video conferencing, file sharing, or presentation designers. Some of this may be provided by your company, but others you may need to discover and implement on your own depending on your own needs.
Make Your Garden Your Temple
Your outdoor space might be a tiny balcony or a sprawling jungle, but make it your getaway from the daily grind. Creating a haven away from your working and living space can still give you that feeling of getting away from it all while you’re still inside your own home. If you do have enough space, build a tranquil pool with Kinniburgh Pool Design, Build & Installation so that you can physically and mentally take a break from working from home. If you don’t have your own green space, go out to the park at lunch to take a breath of fresh air.
End of Day
Just like the routine can help you start your workday, it is important to have a routine for the end of the day as well. You need to signal to your brain that even though your physical location is not changing, that it is time to relax and not focus on work.
Not doing this can mean that you work too much or cannot relax at the end of the day because work problems are still swirling around in your head. This will lead to burn out and ultimately, a decrease in productivity and general motivation.
Have a certain time of day where you are going to start wrapping up loose ends, cleaning your workspace, and setting up anything necessary for the next day. This will help you to leave work at your workspace instead of bringing it into your time off.
Stay fabulous
Christine
