At the start of the 2020 pandemic, many office workers found themselves making the switch to remote work. For some, that meant a scramble to set up a home office. It could also have meant dividing time between taking care of work and managing kids with their remote learning. As the sheltering-at-home continued, it became obvious to many companies that working remotely was getting the job done. If you are still working remotely, then you want to make sure you’re being productive and staying sane being “stuck” at home. Here’s how to make it happen:
Define Your Work Zone
You need to separate your work from your home life and that begins with your work zone. If you’re fortunate to have a separate room that you can dedicate to a home office, then you’re ahead of the game. At this point, you might want to look ahead and consider converting your garage to a work office. There have also been a lot of folks who set up sheds in their backyards for offices. Yes, you can even buy them on Amazon! Having a work zone means that when you’re in that zone, you’re at work. Even if you’re using a laptop, you should move out of the zone when you want to watch a movie or catch up on social media. Leave the work in your zone.
Stick to a Schedule
When you went to the office you had a schedule for the start of your day, your lunchbreak and the end of your day. You should apply that same schedule for your remote work and stick to it. You could start earlier and end earlier because you don’t have a commute. Either way, following the clock with help you stay focused and on track.
Close the Door
If you’re working from home with your family, then you need to set up boundaries. Those boundaries can begin and end at the door of your work zone. When it is closed, it means “do not disturb.” Everyone should respect that.
Push Through Your Projects
There might come a time when you’ve “hit the wall” on a particular project. Just because you’re home doesn’t mean you can just stop work and wander off to another room. You should push through just as you would with office work. If you need to set up a Zoom to get some answers or share ideas, then go for it.
Have a Good Chair
You should never work from home on the sofa or your bed. Again, you need to set up that work zone and that should include investing in a decent chair that can support your back all day.
Give Yourself Breaks
Yes, you get to take breaks with remote work. Those breaks should involve getting up from your desk and taking a real break. You could even walk around the block for fifteen minutes and get a boost from the sunshine and fresh air
Working from home can be just as productive as working in an office. It just requires an attitude adjustment.
