Working from home can seem like the ultimate in comfort, and yes, many people would prefer that to having to commute to a busy office each and every morning. That said, sometimes it can feel a little bit stuffy and tiring to spend all our time within our homes, and so making sure that our time working at home is as stimulating and engaging as possible is key, especially if we’re hoping to retain our daily productivity.
But how can we approach this with more clarity and care? After all, it seems as though in our hypercompetitive and online world, separating home from work life, especially when remote working, is harder than ever. One thing to consider is using separate devices, such as a work phone that you turn on silent for emergencies only when you’ve clocked off or are done with your shift for the day.
Other efforts can help you become more comfortable and aid you in crafting that divide more readily. With the following advice, you’ll see just how possible this can be:
Make Your Work Station Comfortable
It’s important to make your work station comfortable to the degree that you can. For instance, using an ergo laptop stand can help you more easily acclimate to your work in the day to day without having to stretch your hands, or suffer a painful back, or feel lethargic due to bad posture. Ergonomic furniture, such as a chair with an adjustable lumbar support system, is also worthy of investment. It can quite literally help your day to day productivity feel so much more comfortable to interact with.
Give Yourself A Private Space
Giving yourself a private space where you can lock the door and work can help you bridge that divide between work and home life. At the very least, make sure that you centralize all of your working materials in one location, even if that’s a table in the living room, or the side of your kitchen. The more you can do this, the more you can cognitively divide your ‘work self’ from your ‘home self,’ and will also be able to both unwind when away from your duties, or focus when near them. Don’t be afraid to invest in a little privacy.
Set Particular Hours
Just because you work from home doesn’t mean you have to feel chained to certain hours. Setting particular hours ahead of time can help you avoid that feeling of being trapped, or never having downtime. Perhaps you’ll wake up, start at 9am, work until lunch, take a couple hours off, then work until around 7pm. Whatever you find most appropriate, be sure to keep it consistent. This way, you can avoid feeling as if you can never relax, or that getting out of ‘relax mode’ is difficult when you have to work. As with everything, balance, structure and care is needed.
With this advice, you’re certain to make working from home easier to deal with.
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