In the past year, working from home has become the norm for millions of people. What’s more, this way of working looks set to stay, with some of the biggest brands in the world deciding to ditch the office once and for all.
But as liberating as it is — and we all know about the benefits of working from home — this shift away from being in the office every day has created some challenges. And the fact of the matter is that many of us are still getting used to working from home, struggling to strike the right work-life balance, stay productive, motivated, switched on and most importantly, happy.
So how do you master the art of working from home? What are the habits to get into? The ones to avoid? And how can you achieve what we’re all looking for — the perfect work-life balance?
Here are some key tips to set you on the right path.
Locate a workspace
It’s important that you find the right place to work from home. Working from bed or on the sofa in front of the TV isn’t likely to help you stay productive. Sure, for a couple of hours here and there it might be nice, but the novelty will soon wear off — assuming it hasn’t already.
If you’re lucky enough to have a spare bedroom, study, converted loft or even garden shed, could it double up as your work-from-home space? Your own office? Failing that, do you have a corner in the living room or your bedroom that has just about enough space for you to work from?
To help you decide on where to work from home, see if your chosen spot ticks these boxes:
- Is it close to a window for fresh air and does it benefit from natural light?
- Is there enough space for a desk and office chair at least?
- Is it in a quiet area of your home where you won’t be interrupted?
- Is the WiFi strong enough?
Equip your workspace
Kitting out your work-from-home station is next. If you work from a computer or laptop, then you might find that all you need to organise is a desk, lamp and maybe a plant or two.
When buying a desk and office chair, ask yourself — do you want a standing or sit-down desk? And would you prefer an office chair that helps maintain your posture or do you even want one at all? Spending hours slouched tapping away at your laptop (or desktop) can take its toll if you aren’t careful.
Get into a routine
Starting work at 7am on Monday, 8am on Tuesday and 9am on Wednesday won’t necessarily help you get into a routine. So try setting some fixed hours — what time do you want to be ready to start work every morning? When would you like to take breaks? What time would you like to finish for the day?
Admittedly, some people are governed by their employers, but others able to work flexibly might benefit from self-set working hours. These times don’t need to be set in stone by any stretch of the imagination, but having a rough schedule could keep you on track, productive and help separate work from personal time.
Exercise (daily)
Working from home is great, but cabin fever can become a problem. The simple way to avoid this is to set 30-45 minutes aside daily to go out and grab some exercise.
Granted, heading to the gym, going for a walk, a run or doing a Joe Wicks HIIT in your living room is easier said than done if you’re drowning in work. But do your best to prioritise it. Exercise reduces stress, improves health and increases productivity at work — and you don’t need to look far to find research that supports this theory.
Set ground rules
No TV is usually a good one. As is resisting the temptation to snack throughout the day — a trap that’s far too easy to fall into. And if you can, try switching off from social media or closing any unnecessary tabs on your internet browser. Whatever is going to stop you from being productive is probably worth steering clear of.
So is working from home better than being in the office? Is it more proactive to work from home? It’s difficult to speak for everyone. There have been plenty of studies into this, but in reality, it boils down to you, the individual. Some people have no desire to ever go back to the office and enjoy a better work-life balance from home. Some thrive off physical interaction in an office environment. Plenty would like a combination of the two.
Regardless of your preference, there’s no denying that working from home is here to stay, which is why mastering it has never been so important.
