Working from home is all about staying productive while maintaining a good balance between work and your personal life. When COVID-19 hit our lives, people, companies, and organizations shifted to remote or hybrid work with little to no preparation, however, there is no denying that working from home is becoming the new norm. So whether you are new to this way of working or you are struggling to find the perfect balance, we have a couple of pieces of advice to help you make the necessary transition and shifts in your lifestyle and work pace in order to make working a more prosperous and smooth process. From setting up your home office to dividing your time successfully, working from home partially or even 100% of your time can and should be a productive and freeing experience! Because what is better than working from the comfort of your own home and abiding by your own set of rules? However, there is more to consider… from figuring out the best time of the day to get your work done and the best place in your home to do your job to remain focused on career development and building meaningful and strong work relations, these are all things you must figure out in order to make the most out of your new or improved lifestyle.
Set your Working Hours & Stick to them
As we already mentioned, staying loyal to a healthy and productive work-life balance is the most important aspect of working from home. Most of the time, working remotely means that you have a little more flexibility with your time. So if your job allows it, setting your own hours in a way that ensures that you get all your work done for the day in your own timing while also still having time to socialize, rest, get enough sleep, run errands, and do other everyday things is a blessing not everyone has and many aspire to achieve. Scheduling your meetings and sticking to a comfortable and tight time frame will also help you avoid slacking and getting distracted by tempting things that are available in almost every home like TVs, video games, and, you know, beds.
Just as it is Important to Schedule your Working-time, it is also Crucial to Set your Breaks Throughout the Day!
First things first, you need to start your day the right way! Waking up and immediately starting working is not the way to go! Establish a morning routine that gets you in the mood and ensures maximum productivity throughout your working day. Wake up, make your bed, pour yourself a nice cup of coffee, go for a jog, get dressed, take your dog for a walk, and then start on your daily to-do list! Even people who work at offices get break time, and so should you! Walk away from your screen and get off your chair every once in a while. Get lunch, step outside, walk around for a bit, etc. Taking an hour-long break every day while also taking 20 or 30 seconds to break when you need to is necessary to keep you motivated and productive.
End your Days Right
Nightly routines are just as refreshing as morning routines. After a long day of working and being in your home office all day, leaving your home, meeting with friends, following up on your hobbies, and doing activities that are not work-related in general will help you remain positive and assist you in making the most out of your situation. Shutting down your computer should be a signal for you to go and do what you love because you can and you should!
Constantly take advantage of all the perks that come with working remotely, like not having colleagues or managers around, being able to wear what you want and sit however you like, and eating what you desire. You probably worked hard to get where you are right now, so take full advantage of it because you deserve to have a healthy and enjoyable lifestyle!