Mastering the work-from-home experience is something that more people are grappling with. Before 2020, you went into the office, did your work, and then went home.
But in today’s topsy-turvy economy, things are quite different. The home is now the primary workplace, and more people are working in their pyjamas than ever before.
Whether you agree with this trend or not, it’s happening. And more than likely, you’re caught up in it. The question is, how can you master this experience? What’s going to make it a triumph for you?
That’s what we look at in this post. It details the various strategies you can use to make the experience more to your liking, giving you the motivation you need to carry on. So, what should you be doing?
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Minimise Your Distractions
Top of the list of priorities is to minimise your distractions. You don’t want dogs or children in the next room making noise and putting you off work.
Fortunately, you can minimise distractions fairly easily. The simplest option is to soundproof the room and ensure that noise physically can’t get inside. This technique is highly effective, especially if you need to make Zoom calls or contact people on the phone. Screaming children audible in the background is not professional.
If you can set boundaries with household members, do so. Tell them that you need your space for working and can’t have any interruptions during the day (unless there’s an emergency).
If you can use productivity tools, like Focus@Will, these can help too. These are exceptional and help you remain focused on a task (even if you find it dull).
Finally, consider turning off notifications on your devices. Don’t let these get the better of you as they can cause you to waste a lot of time, and work for longer.
Stay Connected
You also want to stay connected to the people you work with. Just because you’re at home, it doesn’t mean you should isolate yourself from them.
Therefore, always have regular calls or chats with colleagues. Keep the rapport going and do things for them for free (as it could help you in the future).
If you want to “overcommunicate,” that can work, too. However, be mindful of the person on the other end of the line. They may not want to talk as much as you do.
If your manager wants to check in with you weekly on the phone, agree to it. Chances are, they won’t be available most weeks, so it shouldn’t be much of an imposition on your time. But it will also allow you to work with them from a distance.
Optimise Your Workspace
Another strategy is to optimise your workspace. Getting this right reduces the risk of injury and helps you be more productive.
Start with ergonomics. Use brands, like Deskup, offering standing desks, sofas, chairs and other options. These can be a great way to feel more comfortable and avoid repetitive strain injury (RSI).
You can also think about your lighting. Ideally, you want natural light in your home, since it can enhance your mood and make you feel better.
Artificial light is okay, but can often feel wrong, especially if you choose the wrong colours. Don’t go for blue-dominant light as it is too harsh and leaves you feeling jittery when what you really want is “calm concentration.”
Make Your Morning Routine The Most Important Part Of The Day
When working from home, it is also critical to make the morning the most important part of your day. You want to make sure that you have everything in place to set you up for a productive week.
Therefore, treat the mornings like a regular day. Get out of bed on time, brush your teeth, and put on work clothes. Don’t sit there in your PJs, hoping that you can be just as productive as if you were wearing a shirt (you won’t be).
If you can add rituals to your morning, that’s even better. These ensure that you build momentum at the start of the day, propelling you toward lunchtime and beyond. Doing the same things over and over will ingrain habits and allow you to thrive more easily than otherwise.
If you can include exercise in your morning routine, that will also add to your productivity. You’ll be able to get more done and think more clearly after just a few minutes.
Take Breaks
It might not be popular, but taking regular breaks is another way to master the work-from-home experience. Spending a few minutes away from work every hour or so gives you time to clear your mind and think about what to do next.
Often, you’ll write something, leave it for a few minutes, and then come back with a fresh perspective. Then, you can edit it quickly to sound the way you want.
You can also use the so-called “two-minute” rule, which says that if a task will take less than two minutes, you should get on with it immediately. For example, if you see an email that requires a one-word response, writing it immediately is sometimes worthwhile.
Other than that, you can stand up and move around. Again, physical activity increases blood flow to the brain, allowing you to think more clearly.
Work Intentionally
You should also try “working intentionally.” Essentially, this means starting each day with a plan and structure.
When you have a clear goal in mind, you can focus on it and marshall your resources in that direction. Somehow, your brain automatically seems to know what you need to do next at any moment.
If you haven’t tried this yet, it can be a powerful technique. Many people find that it improves their output dramatically in a short space of time.
Remember, when you’re at home, you don’t have a manager there to direct you. In a sense, you have to be your own boss and be self-motivated.
If you can time-block your tasks, that often helps a lot. Allocating chunks of time to specific projects makes it more likely you will make progress.
Furthermore, for a job requiring a lot of communication, block-allocate your emails. This way, you can avoid multitasking, which can be a real productivity killer.
Be Flexible
Finally, elevating the work-from-home experience means being flexible. After all, that’s one of the main reasons employers offer it.
When working from home, it is essentially up to you when you work. Some people prefer doing everything late at night, while others like doing stuff in the morning.
Really, it’s up to you how you experiment with your schedule. You could do a test where you see which times of the day you’re most productive and then manage your hours around these, using the rest of the time for the things you like.
Most people find that they do the most work in the morning, usually between 7 am and 11 am. However, you might be a night owl and enjoy working after 6 pm. It really depends.
As a general rule, you will be less motivated to work after a meal compared to before. And if you work late at night, it can sometimes affect your sleep, which is something you’ll want to avoid if you’re trying to be healthy.
Remember that when you’re working from home, things won’t always go to plan. You’ll often have to pivot when you least expect it, so get ready for shifting deadlines, and so on.
So there you have it: how to master the work-from-home experience
Mastering the work-from-home experience is something that more people are grappling with. Before 2020, you went into the office, did your work, and then went home.
But in today’s topsy-turvy economy, things are quite different. The home is now the primary workplace, and more people are working in their pyjamas than ever before.
Whether you agree with this trend or not, it’s happening. And more than likely, you’re caught up in it.
The question is, how can you master this experience? What’s going to make it a triumph for you?
That’s what we look at in this post. It details the various strategies you can use to make the experience more to your liking, giving you the motivation you need to carry on.
So, what should you be doing?
Minimise Your Distractions
Top of the list of priorities is to minimise your distractions. You don’t want dogs or children in the next room making noise and putting you off work.
Fortunately, you can minimise distractions fairly easily. The simplest option is to soundproof the room and ensure that noise physically can’t get inside. This technique is highly effective, especially if you need to make Zoom calls or contact people on the phone. Screaming children audible in the background is not professional.
If you can set boundaries with household members, do so. Tell them that you need your space for working and can’t have any interruptions during the day (unless there’s an emergency).
If you can use productivity tools, like Focus@Will, these can help too. These are exceptional and help you remain focused on a task (even if you find it dull).
Finally, consider turning off notifications on your devices. Don’t let these get the better of you as they can cause you to waste a lot of time, and work for longer.
Stay Connected
You also want to stay connected to the people you work with. Just because you’re at home, it doesn’t mean you should isolate yourself from them.
Therefore, always have regular calls or chats with colleagues. Keep the rapport going and do things for them for free (as it could help you in the future).
If you want to “overcommunicate,” that can work, too. However, be mindful of the person on the other end of the line. They may not want to talk as much as you do.
If your manager wants to check in with you weekly on the phone, agree to it. Chances are, they won’t be available most weeks, so it shouldn’t be much of an imposition on your time. But it will also allow you to work with them from a distance.
Optimise Your Workspace
Another strategy is to optimise your workspace. Getting this right reduces the risk of injury and helps you be more productive.
Start with ergonomics. Use brands, like Deskup, offering standing desks, sofas, chairs and other options. These can be a great way to feel more comfortable and avoid repetitive strain injury (RSI).
You can also think about your lighting. Ideally, you want natural light in your home, since it can enhance your mood and make you feel better.
Artificial light is okay, but can often feel wrong, especially if you choose the wrong colours. Don’t go for blue-dominant light as it is too harsh and leaves you feeling jittery when what you really want is “calm concentration.”
Make Your Morning Routine The Most Important Part Of The Day
When working from home, it is also critical to make the morning the most important part of your day. You want to make sure that you have everything in place to set you up for a productive week.
Therefore, treat the mornings like a regular day. Get out of bed on time, brush your teeth, and put on work clothes. Don’t sit there in your PJs, hoping that you can be just as productive as if you were wearing a shirt (you won’t be).
If you can add rituals to your morning, that’s even better. These ensure that you build momentum at the start of the day, propelling you toward lunchtime and beyond. Doing the same things over and over will ingrain habits and allow you to thrive more easily than otherwise.
If you can include exercise in your morning routine, that will also add to your productivity. You’ll be able to get more done and think more clearly after just a few minutes.
Take Breaks
It might not be popular, but taking regular breaks is another way to master the work-from-home experience. Spending a few minutes away from work every hour or so gives you time to clear your mind and think about what to do next.
Often, you’ll write something, leave it for a few minutes, and then come back with a fresh perspective. Then, you can edit it quickly to sound the way you want.
You can also use the so-called “two-minute” rule, which says that if a task will take less than two minutes, you should get on with it immediately. For example, if you see an email that requires a one-word response, writing it immediately is sometimes worthwhile.
Other than that, you can stand up and move around. Again, physical activity increases blood flow to the brain, allowing you to think more clearly.
Work Intentionally
You should also try “working intentionally.” Essentially, this means starting each day with a plan and structure.
When you have a clear goal in mind, you can focus on it and marshall your resources in that direction. Somehow, your brain automatically seems to know what you need to do next at any moment.
If you haven’t tried this yet, it can be a powerful technique. Many people find that it improves their output dramatically in a short space of time.
Remember, when you’re at home, you don’t have a manager there to direct you. In a sense, you have to be your own boss and be self-motivated.
If you can time-block your tasks, that often helps a lot. Allocating chunks of time to specific projects makes it more likely you will make progress.
Furthermore, for a job requiring a lot of communication, block-allocate your emails. This way, you can avoid multitasking, which can be a real productivity killer.
Be Flexible
Finally, elevating the work-from-home experience means being flexible. After all, that’s one of the main reasons employers offer it.
When working from home, it is essentially up to you when you work. Some people prefer doing everything late at night, while others like doing stuff in the morning.
Really, it’s up to you how you experiment with your schedule. You could do a test where you see which times of the day you’re most productive and then manage your hours around these, using the rest of the time for the things you like.
Most people find that they do the most work in the morning, usually between 7 am and 11 am. However, you might be a night owl and enjoy working after 6 pm. It really depends.
As a general rule, you will be less motivated to work after a meal compared to before. And if you work late at night, it can sometimes affect your sleep, which is something you’ll want to avoid if you’re trying to be healthy.
Remember that when you’re working from home, things won’t always go to plan. You’ll often have to pivot when you least expect it, so get ready for shifting deadlines, and so on.
So there you have it: how to master the work-from-home experience.
Disclaimer – This is a collaborative post.
