For many people, the idea of working from home was the dream. No commute? No annoying coworkers? No need to put on makeup and comb your hair every morning? Sign us up. Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, many of us have found that we actually can work from home – and in fact, this may be permanent. However, while the idea of working from home may sound good -in practice, it’s often not as good as people thought it was going to be. At least, not automatically. Fortunately, some people have been working at home for years, so there are plenty of useful tips that’ll ensure you can work well and keep your happiness in check. I’ve collected some of the best tips below on how to improve your working from home arranement. Take them on board, and you’ll find that your work from home experience is much improved.
Morning Routine
I mentioned earlier how one of the advantages of working from home is that there’s no commute. However, while it’s true that the commute can become a little tiresome after a while, it’s not as if the commute is all bad. There are advantages, even if it doesn’t always feel like it. For one, it puts a clear divide between your home life and work. It gets you into “work mode.” Without a commute (the walk from the bedroom to the home office doesn’t count), the lines between personal and professional can become a little blurry. As such, it’s important to establish a solid morning routine. This can involve putting on professional clothes (no pyjamas), having a good breakfast (rather than continually snacking), and going for a walk. Even a ten-minute walk to buy a newspaper or coffee can do wonders for your mental alertness.
Working Space
You might have started your ‘work from home’ journey by working on the sofa, but at some point or another, you’ll realise that you’re not working as well as you could or should. After all, a sofa is a place for relaxation – it can be difficult, or perhaps even impossible, to get into the right mental space needed for serious work. It’s much better to have a dedicated workspace at your home. If you’ve got a spare bedroom but very rarely have guests, then look at turning it into a home office. You’ll find that it’s much easier to get into several hours of work when you’re in a space that was specifically designed with work in mind.
Snack Breaks
You’d take a mid-morning break if you were working in the office. And you should do the same when you’re working from home. The temptation is just to sit down and work for as long as possible, but you’ll find that the quality of your output is much higher if you take regular breaks. Most people take breaks at the office because they need to step away from the desk, which is generally uncomfortable. You might not have that issue at home – but still, force it through! There’s an upper limit to how long a person can work without taking a break, and it’s not all that high.
Relaxation
If you’re going to consistently produce high-quality work, then it’ll be important to look after your body and mind. They should be relaxed – a little bit of stress is good, but a relaxed person works better, no question. This is why the most forward-thinking offices have hammocks, relaxation booths, and other features that help to calm the body and mind. So look at your home – do you have a space in which you can relax? Could it be better? If so, take a look at getting a comfortable sofa from FURCO. You can place it in the corner of your home office (this will help you to relax while also remaining in “professional” mode) or in your living room. Once you have the new sofa, be sure to use it! A five-minute nap really can make a big difference when you’re beginning to feel that your eyes are getting heavy and your output is beginning to slow.
Be Consistent
You’ll have had to be at the office between certain hours. When you work from home, you’ll likely have more freedom to work when you want – yet, while this can be a good thing, it’s also true that it can lead to some problems. For example, it can make your working schedule a little chaotic. With more freedom, you’ll be more likely to hit the snooze alarm. However, it’s important that you find ways to dig deep and stick to a regular schedule, this will automatically improve your working from home arrangement. Studies have shown that keeping to a regular schedule can have a hugely positive impact on your quality of work. Of course, that doesn’t mean that you have to stick to the standard 9 – 5. It can be any schedule that works best for you – just try to make it the same time every day.
At The End Of The Day
Finally, let’s think about the end of the day. Ideally, you’ll have worked well throughout the day! But it’s important that you find a way to put a division between your work and your personal time. If you don’t, then your mind will be spinning with work-related thoughts, and you’ll find it difficult to enjoy your free time. Just as we said earlier, this is one of the advantages of a commute! So take a look at doing something that creates that gap. This could involve taking a shower or going for a walk.
Conclusion
There’s much to love about working from home, but it would be wrong to suggest that it’s nothing but good times. There are challenges that need to be overcome to improve your working from home arrangement and if you’re going to preserve the quality of your work and also maintain your sanity and happiness levels. As with most things, working from home just needs a little bit of fine-tuning if it’s going to be effective.
Now you know how to improve your working from home arrangement all you have to do is implement the changes! Take the tips I’ve outlined above, and you’ll be well on your way towards a positive experience
