More people than ever are working from home. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in office closures that forced employees to make their homes their offices. Thankfully, Tried and Tested Tips For Working From Home the worst of the pandemic is over, but with seemingly ever-increasing inflation and energy prices eating into profits, some companies are asking employees to work from home a couple of days per week or even full-time.
As someone that has worked from home for the past 14 years, I am well-placed to give you my tried and tested tips and techniques to ensure you are productive when not in an office environment. Working environment has many positives and negatives Tried and Tested Tips For Working From Home. Not commuting to an office is my number one positive.
Not only does it save a small fortune on gas prices and other travel expenses, but I’m not faced with spending an hour or more in gridlocked traffic, freeing up more spare time and massively reducing my stress levels. However, Tried and Tested Tips For Working From Home is not all sunshine and rainbows.
You do not get to spend all day sitting in sweatpants watching your favorite Netflix shows like some people think happens, nor do you get to take all afternoon finding bonuses on the MyBookie review page; you’re working from home, and work you shall.
Set Up a Dedicated Space From Which to Work
You should create an office environment even if you are not traveling to an office. Sitting on the couch with your laptop is tempting because it seems like a relaxing place to work. Do not do this! Your couch is comfortable, but the sitting position is wrong for being productive at working abroad. In addition, it is too tempting to switch on the television, even just for some background noise, which will become a significant distraction.
Instead, set up an office in a spare bedroom if you can. I have a desktop computer set up in our spare room, plus my laptop in the dining room. Having a space to work from, especially during school breaks when your kids are at home, is a Godsend because you can shut yourself away and get on with your job.
Tell Your Loved Ones You Are At Work While Working
Anyone that has worked from home will know their loved ones and friends will have the mentality that they can break off from work whenever the feeling takes them. While some jobs allow flexibility during your working hours, you need to let those close to you know that you can’t just go to the store or give them a ride somewhere because you are at work. Ask them to pretend you have gone into the office whenever you are at work.
I suggest making a sign you can hang from or stick to your office door whenever you take a video call. This will stop your other half or kids from bursting into the room while you are in the middle of an important meeting.
Don’t Forget to Take Breaks; Work Your Scheduled Hours
Working in an office usually affords you regular breaks, either scheduled or otherwise. You may pick a document from the printer and spend a minute or two chatting with Jill from accounts. You do not have this luxury when you work from home. Make sure you take regular breaks from your computer, even if they are only for a few minutes, to wander around your yard or make yourself a coffee.
Eat your lunch away from your workspace. You probably would not eat at your desk in the office, so do not do it in your home office! I have lost count of the times when I have worked without a break for three or four hours and then worked through my designated lunch break.
On a slight tangent, try to finish work at a regular time. It is tempting to continue working until you have completed a task because everything you need is in your home. By all means, take an extra few minutes to finish your work at the end of the day, but do not spend hours on it just because you can. Finding a work/life balance and managing your time is essential to work-from-home success.
When you are finished for the day, turn off your computer, and relax for a while, just as you would if you had returned home from the office. I like to take my shoes off and put on my slippers because, mentally, this tells me that I am finished with work for the day.
You will undoubtedly find your own quirks and techniques to help cope with the unique problems working from home creates, but these are some of mine, and they have served me well for the past 14 years.
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