Six months later and the coronavirus pandemic is still raging in the United States. Because of this ongoing pandemic, lots of people have been working from home, and are still working from home, and maybe will continue working from home until the end of this year. Yikes! Are you having trouble separating your down town from your work time? Not sure how to create a clear boundary between work hours and not work hours? I’ve got some tips for you!
Stay Sane With Our Working From Home Tips
1. Give yourself set work hours
Perhaps your job already has set hours like a 9-5, even from home. If it doesn’t have strict hours, or even if these hours are loosey goosey, set a schedule for yourself. Start work at the same time every day, take your lunch break at the same time every day, and end at the same time every day. If you get an hour for lunch at the office, take an hour at home. Giving yourself a schedule and sticking to it will help create a routine and separate work time from down time.
2. Leave the house at least once a day
Maybe you leave in the morning to grab your morning coffee, or perhaps you go pick up food for lunch. It doesn’t matter how long or when you leave the house, but leaving your space will help break up the day and help things flow better without feeling stuck in one spot all day long. If you usually work in an office, you probably have different floors or areas to walk through throughout the day, whereas at home you don’t. Create a little walking break by running a quick errand during the day.
3. Designate a work station
Sure working from your bed every day might feel cozy, but it is confusing your brain!! Your brain and body associate your bed with rest, so also turning it into your work space could cause you to get sleepy faster or be less productive. Set up a designated work station, even if that is just a specific spot at your dining room table, or a card table set up in your living room. Giving a space designated importance will help you be more focused and productive.
4. Take breaks
Just as you would likely get little breaks working around other people, make sure you take breaks throughout the day. Sure you can’t walk with Jan to the watercooler and gossip for twenty minutes anymore, but maybe call Jan and chat on the phone for 20 minutes anyway. When you’re working around other people and in a space conducive to moving around, you aren’t actually working for the whole day hours without interruptions. Go for a walk around the block or call a friend.
5. Do the best you can
Adjusting to working from home indefinitely is hard! Some jobs aren’t best done at home, while some are. Remind yourself that this is an unusual circumstance and try your best. Perhaps communicate with your boss or coworkers about adjusting expectations for working from home. Do your best and give yourself some grace.
Although working from home is the safest choice for us during the COVID pandemic, it can still be tough. It’s especially tough if you don’t know how much longer you’ll be working this way. Follow these working from home tips and figure out what works best for you.