Working from home is difficult. It requires a certain amount of adaptation on your part in order to get the most out of yourself. There are so many distractions and it’s an unfamiliar environment for many of us to be working in. You also lack that social interaction with your colleagues. Even video calls that make interaction so much easier these days, it’s not quite the same.
But it’s also easy to go too far the other way. With no physical barrier between your home life and your work life, there’s always the danger that that fragile balance will fall too far in favour of work. This doesn’t leave enough time for yourself, your home life and your family. But how do you combat these issues?
In this guide, we’ve come up with 10 tips to help make working from home an easier and altogether more pleasant experience. It will help you be more productive, as well as ensure you don’t retreat into yourself, while helping take care of your mental wellbeing at the same time.
10 Tips to Help you Work from Home
There are loads of simple little things you can do to help you work from home. These range from things literally as simple as opening a window, to taking a brisk stroll at lunchtime. It’s also important that you set yourself achievement goals during the day and have set hours in which you’re going to work. There are plenty of others, too. Keep reading to find out more!
Have a set Space From Which to Work from Home
It’s important you have a specific place in your home where you can work without distraction. For instance, don’t try and work in the dining room where the kids are doing their homework, or in the living room while they’re watching telly. This will be very distracting and you won’t be particularly productive. Furthermore, it could also stress you out unnecessarily, and we all know work is stressful enough!
One-minute Meditation
Try and reduce your anxiety and stress levels by introducing one-minute meditation breaks. Focus on a relaxing picture, or listen to calming music with your eyes closed for a minute or so while breathing deeply. This will help reduce your stress levels and help you re-focus on your work.
Open a Window
It sounds ridiculous, but it really does work. Open a window in the room where you’re working to ensure a fresh flow of oxygen. This will help you stay fresh and alert, keeping you focused on the job in hand. Meanwhile, the fresh air will also help with your mental wellbeing.
Go for a Lunchtime Walk
We all know exercise of any sort is good for us, both physically and mentally. Getting out and about during your lunch break will not only give you the opportunity to clear your head and think about other things, but the fresh air will do you the world of good, too. Additionally, the exercise will give you a rush of endorphins. This will make you feel energised and ready to take on the afternoon’s work.
Have a pot Plant in your Home Office
This isn’t just for decoration. Much like opening a window, installing a pot plant in your work space will increase the amount of oxygen in your office and reduce the amount of carbon dioxide through photosynthesis. As we’ve mentioned before, more oxygen makes you feel good, as well as boosting your energy and your focus, helping you work more efficiently.
Take Regular Screen Breaks When you Work from Home
Staring at a screen all day won’t do you much good at all. It can harm your eyes, as well as give you headaches. So if you need to make a phone call, try and go into another room, or if you can’t do that, simply turn away from your screen while you’re on the phone. Also, take regular refreshment breaks, whether that’s a cup of tea or coffee, or simply a glass of water. It’ll help you reset – especially if you’re stuck on something!
Stick to your Normal Work Routine
As tempting as it is to have a lie-in or to work in your pyjamas, it’s not the best of ideas. You’ll get more done if you stick to your normal routine as close as possible. This is because you won’t be slipping into any bad habits and you’re more likely to stay focused.
Stay Connected with your Colleagues
It’s easy to start feeling isolated when you’re working from home. Shut in an office with no-one for company except for yourself and your own thoughts. This is why it’s important to stay in touch with colleagues, virtually or, if possible, physically. Make sure you have regular team calls to keep up with what’s going on with the rest of the gang and to keep up-to-date with any news from the wider company. Beyond the social side of things, it’ll also help you collaborate more effectively on projects.
Don’t Forget to Stop Working
Essentially living at your office can lead to problems. It can become difficult to switch off and to separate you home and family life from your work life. But don’t forget it’s important to wind down after you’ve finished work. So try not to be compulsively checking emails all evening, or starting work 15 minutes earlier each day. Use the extra time you’re saving in terms of a commute to spend more time with your family, or to do something you enjoy.
Minimise Distractions When you Work from Home
One of the major drawbacks to working from home is the number of distractions you’ll find everywhere. Whether that’s from your kids, your pets, the noise coming from the building site next door, or simply the fact that you’re in your own home. It’s often full of distractions. If you’ve got kids running around the house, think about closing the door to your work space and maybe stick some headphones in to tray and drown out any outside noise. This is more likely to help you focus.