A Positive Workday Mood: Advice to working from home
As the remote work experiment drags on, here are some critical things you should be doing every day to maximize productivity.
Six months ago, it would have seemed wild that so many of us would now be working from home with no clear end in sight—joining work calls from our home offices and kitchen tables.
The remote work shift has crystallized into a long-term reality, with many workers accepting (and even looking forward to) this new way of life.
For companies, the upside includes lowering of costs of business travel and office space. For employees, the benefits include more control over their time, as well as reducing costs on childcare and transportation.
But as anyone who has worked from home knows, it’s not as easy as it looks.
Remote requires a different time management and communication.
Distractions—from kids, roommates, or that sink of dirty dishes—abound. Technology can be clunky, as can your office set up. (After all, using an ironing board for a makeshift standing desk only works for so long.)
Create a Calming Space to Work
To create a relaxed feeling in your workspace, incorporate some natural elements, such as green plants, relaxing imagery, or other design features that evoke the outdoors.
Adding a subtle amount of noise, such as birds chirping or sea water moving, may help make you more comfortable working from home.
Setting up a strictly “non-work area” for breaks, as well as creating a few work spaces you transition between over the course of the workday.
For instance, you could start your morning working through pressing tasks while seated at your kitchen table.
In a few hours, transition to standing upright at a counter or standing desk. After lunch, you may choose to return to working at the table or even outdoors, such as on a porch or sitting in front of an open window.
Know when it’s time to log off, clear your mind, and reset for the next day.
Remember…surround yourself with soothing scents, meditate, or engage in a non-work-related hobby.