Right now, a lot of people are making the switch from working in the office to working from home. This is definitely easier for some industries than others; no matter what, there are several challenges that may arise when you start to figure out how to work from home. Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you adjust to your new work-life balance.
1. Create (and keep) daily routines.
For most people, home is a place to relax and recharge. Therefore, introducing your “work mindset” into the place you often use to decompress can be really difficult. One of the best ways to combat this is to stick to a routine each day. Whether that means reading while you drink your morning coffee or dressing business casual despite staying in, treating your day as if you are going into the office can do wonders for your focus.
This is also a great opportunity to create new routines for yourself! As you work from home, you’ll likely discover specific habits you have that you either want to break or encourage. Notice these habits, and do what you need to do with them. Sticking to a healthy routine will help to encourage productivity!
2. Designate a specific place for productivity.
Speaking of productivity, you may have to put in a little more effort to be productive when you work at home. If you have a designated home office, you’re already one step ahead! Having a specific place to work while you’re home will be a huge benefit to you.
If you don’t have a home office, try sitting at the kitchen table or in the living room. As tempting as it is, don’t work from your bed! That can actually harm your sleep. If you start to associate your bed with your work, you may find it more difficult to fall asleep each night – which impacts your work the next day, thus sending you into a vicious cycle. Have a place for working and a place for relaxing – don’t combine the two!
3. Minimize your distractions as much as possible.
Distractions are everywhere – especially at home! Try your best to be in a distraction-free zone when you’re working. It’s understandable that this may not always be possible; between kids, pets, a whole kitchen of food to eat, and digital notifications, the world around you can be full of noise. A lot of times, you can’t control the distractions around you.
However, there are some steps you can take to minimize distractions. For example, if you tend to get distracted by your phone (let’s be honest – who doesn’t these days?) there are apps that can help you to unplug when you need to focus. Offtime, for example, is an app that will block distracting social media sites. It’s available on iPhone and Android, and it essentially silences the notifications you’d be getting from those apps. Alternatively, you could turn on your phone’s “do not disturb” setting to avoid getting calls, texts, and other notifications begging for your attention.
4. Connect with your colleagues virtually.
Thankfully, with so many ways to stay connected online, you can still talk to your colleagues. Don’t hesitate to collaborate on projects during this time. Even though you’re working at home, you’re still working – and connections with your team members are still just as important as ever!
5. Try to stay positive while you work from home!
If you don’t usually work from home, you may find yourself feeling frustrated or unproductive. Don’t fret too much. Although it’s a big change, it’ll get easier over time. Stay positive, continue to take care of yourself, and enjoy your time at home as much as possible.
Even though the world is full of uncertainty right now, the folks here at Blackwood Creative are here to help. If you need anything marketing-related, reach out to us. We’re in the business of building remarkable brands – let’s make your brand remarkable together.