The world has shifted significantly since the pandemic began, and perhaps one of the trends most poised to stay is working from home. While the process comes with many distractions, there are some benefits to the change, such as no commutes, which saves on both time and money, and the ability to care for your home throughout the day, rather than a small hour or two each night. If you’re wondering how to make the most of your day while working at home, we’ve got everything you need to know below!
Get An Early Start
Humans are usually most productive in the morning after a full night of sleep and before any distractions or afternoon slumps catch up with them. When working at home, it’s especially important to avoid those pesky distractions too.
Try beginning your workday as early as possible to get the most impactful work done earlier on. However, if your employer is flexible with working hours and you are a night owl or thrive at another time of day, feel free to work when you’re most productive if you deviate from the norm.
Make the Most of Your Downtime
When working from home, tidying up doesn’t need to be put off until the end of the day. Instead of lounging around for those breaks, put your spare time to use by getting a load of laundry started or tidying up the kid’s rooms so that your spare time in the evening can be spent with family or doing things you love.
Depending on where your home office is, you might want to hold off on any noisy tasks. If your “office” is simply the kitchen table, looking for alternatives, such as an over the sink dish rack, can be helpful for drying dishes without the extra noise. It might be worthwhile to do some research and find other helpful tips and tricks that can help you double up on productivity throughout the day.
Don’t Isolate Yourself
If you’re an introvert, it can seem like a dream come true not having to go to the office, but don’t shut yourself out completely. Whether you realize it or not, interacting with other people is beneficial as it is a part of human nature. We’re social creatures, after all.
That’s not to say that you need to Zoom with coworkers all day, but it may be helpful to check in with one every so often, opting for a video call to discuss something rather than the typical email back-and-forth. Working at home can become lonely after a while, so be sure to invest a little time each day in being social.
Structure Your Workday… Like a Workday
It’s easy to blur the lines when you’re working from home between home life and work duties. You may become distracted, easily worn down, and find it hard to focus without clear boundaries. To help, define clear times between home interests and workday musts.
For example, work begins at eight and ends at four, no exceptions. From four to eleven, it’s your time to do as you please, such as play with the pets, watch TV, and write that novel you’ve been working on, just not during work hours if it’s too distracting.
This also means setting times for breaks as well. Depending on your employer, you may be able to build out your own schedule, and other times it may be exclusively defined. Regardless, try your best not to blur the lines so that a clear structure is present every single day, helping protect your sanity and well-being.
Also, be sure that on your breaks, you’re stepping away from your workspace and seeing and experiencing new things as a sign for your brain to relax.
Repurpose Your Commute Time
Whether it was hours in the car or minutes on the train, repurposing what was once your commute time can be a meaningful shift. And what better way to turn one of the worst parts of a day into the best?
Rather than hitting snooze every morning, which is totally fine from time to time, try to turn your former commute into a time to move your body, meditate, enjoy a hearty breakfast, or finally invest time in your hobbies guilt-free. Whether you’re working from home indefinitely or have a set expiration date, your body, mind, and soul will thank you for the extra attention anywhere you can squeeze it.
Make Working At Home Work For You
What is best for one person may not be the best for you, and it’s important to find a schedule that aligns with your needs and productivity. With the right tools and structure for your day, working from home can be easier, more cost-effective, and better for your overall well-being!
Preparing is half the battle in making the work-from-home life adaptable for you. Take some time to build your schedule, set up a soothing workspace, purchase the tools you need to carry out the days, and most of all – enjoy it!
