Working from home has become a popular option for professionals all over the world. It is a great option for mothers, as well as those who don’t drive or simply want to work in their own comfortable environment. However, working from home presents a unique set of challenges. It is often more difficult to get motivated, and getting some structure to your day can be a real challenge too, as you can find yourself working too many hours and forgetting about your personal life. With that in mind, read on to discover some top tips on how to make working from home work for you.
Invest in ergonomic furniture
It is vital to strike the right balance between being comfortable and adopting the correct posture too. After all, if you are uncomfortable, you are going to end up with back issues. If you’re too comfortable, you are going to end up falling asleep and not getting any work done! This is why it is a good idea to look for furniture that is labelled as ‘ergonomic’. This means that it has been designed for comfort and efficiency in the working environment.
Take regular breaks
Sitting at the computer for hours on end is not good for anyone – it’s especially not good for you eyes. Make sure you take regular breaks throughout the day. It’s a good idea to roughly schedule these breaks, so you can make sure you maintain a healthy work schedule. You could take 30 minutes out of your day for exercise, or ten minutes to read a little bit of the newspaper, for example.
Choose working hours that are right for you
One of the main benefits of working from home is that it gives you a greater amount of flexibility in terms of working hours. You should use this to your advantage. When are you at your most productive? A lot of people work more efficiently in the morning. Why not get up a couple of hours before the rest of your household? You will probably find that you achieve more in those two hours than you do the rest of the day! Make your working day work for you.
Build a dedicated workspace
One of the biggest issues people have when working from home is that they cannot separate work life and home life. They end up working until it is time to go to sleep, or they end up doing housework when they should be working. The best way to combat this is to make sure you have a dedicated workspace – somewhere that is only for work and nothing else. A lot of people simply designate a spare room in their house for this, and it becomes their office. However, if you have the space outside, you could build an outside office instead. Although you won’t be walking very far, by having a separate building as your workspace, it makes it easier for you to stick to normal working hours and to separate your personal and professional life. Companies like Varico have the building products you need for such a project. You don’t need to spend a fortune on something like this, especially if you have the capacity to build the outdoor building yourself.
Dress for success
The way you dress will have a massive impact on the way you feel. A lot of people feel that one of the perks of working from home is being able to wear your pyjamas while you work or loungewear. While this is possible, it is not a good idea. Your clothing determines your mood. If you wear pyjamas, you are going to feel lazy, and so it will be difficult for you to maintain high levels of productivity. The best thing to do is dress as if you were leaving the house and going to an office to work. Dress for success and the rest often follows. Plus, what if one of your clients suddenly decides they want to hold an online video conference?
Create a schedule for each day
If you don’t have a schedule for each day, you will never be able to work efficiently from home. Your work and your housework gets muddled, and other distractions get in the way, and before you know it, it’s 5 pm and you have barely achieved anything. The best thing to do is dedicate a small amount of time each evening to planning your schedule for the next day. This will simplify your tasks and make it easier to complete them efficiently. Make sure you do the most difficult and challenging tasks when you are going to have the most peace and quiet and you are your most efficient. Don’t attempt to do work like this when you know the children are going to be back from school for instance.
Manage your diet
It is easy to become a grazer when you work from home. You end up randomly getting up, going to the kitchen, looking in all of the cupboards, and then grabbing a bar of chocolate or whatever else is in reach. You probably aren’t even hungry; you’re just a bit bored or looking for a distraction. It’s a good idea to stock up on healthy food, and make sure you have healthy snacks that you can simply grab and go. Any preparation will put you off and resort in you choosing the unhealthy option.
So there you have it: some great tips on how to make working from home work for you. There is a lot that needs to be taken into consideration, from your working environment to how you structure your day. However, if you follow the tips that have been given to you in this blog post, you should find it a lot easier to work from more successfully and efficiently.
