Working from home has become a reality for millions of people around the world. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, many people worked at least partially from home. It is not impossible if done correctly. Here are five tips for managing working from home.
Tip One: Keep a routine
Preparing for work as you normally would is imperative to making sure that you are attentive, focused, and in a working mindset. Wake up with enough time to shower and eat a proper breakfast. Do not put pajama pants back on. Stay comfortable, but dress in clothes that will not distract you or make you too comfortable. Take your lunch as you normally would. When the work day is over, let it be over. If you were working at the office, you would not punch out to go home and be consumed by your job.
Tip Two: Take Breaks
As you would if you were at work, take regular breaks to use the restroom, eat a snack, walk around, or do whatever else you might want to do in ten or fifteen minutes. You have the liberty to break when you need one, so do it. By forcing yourself to stare at your screen for hours on end without any type of break, you lower your work capacity and quality.
Tip Three: Separate Work from Home
Maintain a healthy balance between work and home. Of course, it may be impossible if other people are in your home, but try to separate the two as much as possible. If possible, keep a home office where you can be unbothered and work. This is not possible for everybody, so if you do not have the space find a different way to separate spaces. Use a specific chair or table that you will only do work from. Do not work from your bedroom. It may be tempting to lay in bed with your laptop to work, but this is not wise. Choose a place that you will be focused and not be tempted to do other things. If possible, keep a separate phone and computer for work purposes only. If you cannot do this, use a separate user account on your computer and use a free VoIP phone number through a provider such as Skype.
Tip Four: Stay Focused
Being at home opens the door for many new distractions that you probably did not experience before. You now have the ability to work from in your bed while having the television on, or your family may be in the house with you. Do not engage in activities that you would not typically engage in while at work. This means no watching T.V. or using your personal phone unless you are on a break. If your family is a new distraction, try to set boundaries as best as possible so you can work efficiently.
Tip Five: Take Care of Yourself
Make sure that you do not neglect yourself during these times. Do not completely isolate yourself. Stay in touch with friends, family, and co-workers. Try to go outside for a walk each day, if possible. Be active and make sure that you are eating and sleeping properly to keep your body and mind as healthy as possible.
The transition from working outside of the home every day to working from your inside your home can be a difficult transition. We hope that these tips can help ease the transition as much as possible.
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