This is a contributed post. However, all opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal view.
There have been several challenges in the last year that we probably never expected to encounter in our lifetimes. It is not only the health and economic challenges, but also the lifestyle changes that have impacted us significantly. Home working has become the norm now and while it provides many advantages for us, there are also some dangers. It is all too easy to lose our productivity and motivation to work on a comfy sofa.
Keep Office Hours
When working from home it is very easy to slip into a non-working mentality. You might think you are saving time on your commute so you can get up a bit later and start work in your slippers with a mug of hot coffee. This might be possible for some people, but it’s not recommended.
Your mentality is very important when working from home and since it’s so easy to slip into a relaxed frame of mind you need to work a little harder to maintain the discipline. If you have extra time in the morning it’s better to use it for some pre-work exercise instead.
Have a Transition Period
Working from home means you are constantly blending your work life with your home life. This overlap can create problems for your mental and emotional health, and it can affect your performance in your job. The best approach is to clearly demarcate those two mentalities.
Think of a small ritual you can do before and after your work that will effectively transition your mentality from work mode to life mode. You might energize yourself with a short exercise routine in the morning, and have a shower in the evening.
A Dedicated Space
Needless to say, you will require a dedicated space in your home to perform your work effectively. If you don’t have a dedicated space you run the risk of being interrupted at important moments with family or partners coming and going.
The best solution is a home office, which can take many forms. Most people renovate a spare bedroom or a closet and set up a PC, find out what it takes at the link. There are, however, many other innovative ideas. Some home offices are in sheds, garages, and mobile homes.
Leave the House
Although pandemic restrictions are in place for the foreseeable, it’s still important to leave the house regularly and go to public spaces. As long as you respect the policy in your local areas you can still enjoy the benefits of parks and shopping centers.
You may have made an art form out of living at home over the past year, but you may not realize the toll it takes on your mental and emotional health. A walk in the park will refresh your brain and give you the inspiration needed to do your best work when you return.
Monitor Procrastination
The near-enemy of productivity is procrastination, unfortunately, procrastination is even easier when working from home. Furthermore, the number of devices and potential distractions from work are significant. It requires some sensible self-discipline to monitor your procrastination.
If you have social media accounts try to make them difficult to access. Hide the apps on your phone so they’re difficult to find and make a rule about logging in during working hours. If you find yourself procrastinating a lot, try to set small time limits for getting work done, and stick to them.
