10 Habits For A Healthy Work-From-Home Lifestyle
It’s officially been one year since a massive portion of the work force shifted from in-person operations to a work-from-home model. For better or worse, this approach to business may remain commonplace long after we say goodbye to Covid-19 now that the pros and cons have been tested for 12 months on a large scale. If you still haven’t quite nailed that work-life balance or find your productivity hasn’t been the best in this new set-up, we’ve got some ideas for how you can master the art of working from home. Who knows, you may even find you prefer it over the ways of old.
Set Your Hours And Stick To Them
Maybe your first Zoom call isn’t until 10:30am, but that doesn’t mean that should be when your day starts. A work-from-home or freelance schedule can vary greatly from day-to-day, but by establishing consistent office hours for yourself, you’ll not only find more time to get your tasks done in time for dinner, but you’ll also likely find that you’re more on top of your day as a whole. But this advice to stick to your hours also applies to clocking out. Make sure that when you say you’ll log off by 6pm, you actually log off at 6pm. Set an alarm if you need to. If you’re clocking in early enough each day, there should be no guilt in stepping away from that computer after a day’s work.
Signal The Beginning And End Of Your Work Day
To help you transition from “home mode” to “work mode” and back again, create a ritual that will help signal to your brain when it’s time to get to business and when it’s time to relax. Some ideas include going for a walk around the block before and after you clock in to emulate a commute, having a fresh cup of coffee at the beginning of your work day and a warm cup of caffeine-free tea as you sign off, or blasting a favorite high-energy song and moving your body before you log on and after you log off.
Establish Protocol For Those You Live With (Yes, Pets Too!)
This can be a challenging one, depending on your living situation, but try to create some household rules in order to establish boundaries and create a productive workspace for you through the day. Let your roommates know when you can’t be disturbed for chitchat, tell your family what times you’ll require quiet for Zoom calls, and also take into consideration what their work-from-home needs might be. When it comes to pets, one tip to ensure they aren’t fussing to be played with in the middle of that conference call is to make sure you plan their playtime to coincide with your pre-work morning routine, your lunch break, and after you log off for the day. Creating this routine will not only tucker them out, it will also give them an understanding of when playtime is and when work time is.
Schedule Breaks
A healthy habit to instill in your daily routine is to schedule breaks. Taking a few minutes to look away from the computer, stretch, do a little dance (no one’s watching), and give yourself a moment to breathe can help prevent burnout, reduce stress, and recharge those batteries so you can remain productive throughout the day. And don’t forget, humans blink less often while staring at screens, so give your eyes some love by taking breaks from screen time.
Get Moving
This tip goes hand-in-hand with scheduling breaks. Working from home can mean you’re not getting as much movement as you usually would throughout the day. If you’re not one for intense workouts, start with scheduling a daily walk before and/or after work or during your lunch hour, take mini yoga breaks throughout the day to get that blood flowing, chase your pets around the yard during their playtime. Whatever you do, get those bodies moving for improved health and productivity.
Get Fresh Air And Sun
When planning your daily breaks and movement activities, try to incorporate fresh air and sunshine. If you’re feeling fatigued and down, it could be due to low levels of Vitamin D. Can your workout be done outdoors? Do you have a balcony or patio where you can take a coffee break to soak up a few rays? Your body can experience the benefits of Vitamin D with just 15 minutes of sunshine on the skin. And who doesn’t feel refreshed after taking a few deep breaths of fresh air? Bonus tip: open up those windows to bring some of that fresh air inside with you.
Have A Dedicated Workspace And Make It Somewhere You Want To Be
One of the beautiful things about working from home is that you have autonomy over the space you work in. So make it your dream work space. No matter your budget or constraints, there are ways you can improve your work space, and man does it make a difference when your home office is one you’re excited to work in. Check out our article on how to upgrade your home office for more tips on this, and consider one of CBM Mart’s luxury desks to give you all the work space you need in your home office.
Remove Distractions
Are you eyeing that stack of mail that needs to be sorted and that pile of laundry that needs to be put away when you should be drafting a report? Distractions, whether they be visual, auditory, or sensational, can be a huge detriment to productivity and focus. Do what you can to eliminate distractions. Declutter your workspace, wear clothing that makes you feel comfortable yet put together, and consider sound cancelling headphones if you’re not able to work in a quiet location.
Choose Background Music Carefully
Science says we are at our most productive when working in silence, but many people prefer to have some tunes playing to create a motivating environment or a sense of comfort. Our advice? Find music that’s free of lyrics for tasks that require writing or a lot of focus.
Socialize
We’re social beings, there’s no denying it. And while you may be celebrating the fact that you no longer have to sit through an hour of traffic to get to and from the office every day, you may be missing those coffee breaks and after-work happy hours with colleagues when you get to talk about anything other than work. Find ways to keep that social butterfly inside you happy. If you work or live alone, meet up with a friend for your lunch hour walk or co-work with someone who also is feeling a bit isolated during the work day, or arrange happy hour drinks with friends at an outdoor restaurant. If you live with others, use your breaktime to relax and talk with your roommates or family members. Social interaction not only helps with stress relief but is also just plain fun.
When mastered, working from home has the potential to offer a work experience with less stress and more freedom for an improved quality of life. We hope these tips help you achieve just that.
