Please listen to the national, state, and local guidelines that are being communicated in your area.
With the Coronavirus in full-swing here in the United States, we may have just found ourselves in a perpetual Work From Home cycle. Both my husband and I are currently working from home ‘until further notice’. We’re happy to oblige and self-isolate to keep others and ourselves healthy. But, working from home does have it’s challenges and can prove to be a big change for some. Thankfully, working from home doesn’t have to be this way. There are a few things you can do to make working from home as productive and enjoyable as being in the office.
1. Keep Moving
If you’re working from home you may have a tendency to sit at your desk or table (or on the couch) all day without moving. We all can get sucked into our work when we have motivation flowing through our veins, but we also need to move our bodies to keep the blood flowing too.
Try setting a timer for every 30 to 60 minutes When the timer goes off, take a 5 or 10 minute break to move around your home. It’s especially important to move throughout your day if you’re not exercising regularly.
2. Take a Break
Along with your brief 5 minute breaks to get up and move around, you’ll also want to take one or two longer breaks throughout your day. Take a few to step away from your work, decompress, and focus on something else besides work. A popular time to do this is halfway through your day during the lunch hour.
Giving yourself a solid break during your workday allows your brain to reset and gives you a better mindset when it comes time to hop back into your work.
3. Eat a Healthy Lunch
Being in the comfort of your own home can provide little luxuries like making your own lunch. If you’re a lover of the kitchen and enjoy cooking then this will be an easy and energy-lifting activity. If you’re one to usually order take away then this might be a bit of a change for you to take on.
Providing your body with healthy food will nourish it with the energy and nutrients it needs to function properly and keep you healthy. When making yourself a lunch remember to include Proteins, Carbs, and Fats as each are vitally important for your body. Also remember that you need 2 cups of fruit and 3 cups of vegetables each day (source: CDC).
4. Turn off the Computer
Having our office at home allows us to easily answer emails or just hop on a quick call. But it’s important to remember to separate work and at-home life. To put it simply, turn off your computer at the end of the workday and leave it off until the next morning. Just because you’re working from home doesn’t mean that’s what you have to do all day every day – try to keep the same schedule that you had before you started working from home.
5. Decorate Your Space
Chances are you have decorated your in-office desk with at least a picture or two of your loved ones, so why not do the same at home? As I mentioned earlier, we may be working at home for a long period of time so making ourselves comfortable in our space will help us to be focused and productive with our work.
Take an afternoon to tidy up a specific space where you’ll sit to do work every day – maybe it’s a desk, your dining room table, or the kitchen counter. Now add a few personal touches that fit you and your personality. I love to fill my space with plants, diffusers, and photos of my family in decorative frames.
6. Turn Up The Tunes
Having an office space to yourself (or with your significant other) allows you to play the music you enjoy and have it as loud as you like! Consider creating a playlist that’s perfect for playing in the background while you focus on work. If you’re not up for making your own, Spotify offers pre-made playlists made specifically for focusing.
7. Keep a Routine
When you work in an office setting you typically have a morning routine that you follow every weekday morning. Try your best to keep this same routine when working from home. This will help you get your day started off on the right foot.
Having a routine can help you to set clear intentions and get you energized for the day and the tasks that lie ahead.
8. Get Organized
If you’re having trouble staying focused while being at home, consider keeping a Work Planner or an on-going to-do list of everything you need to accomplish for work. My favorite Planners and Notepads are from Erin Condren (all of their dated planners are currently 50% off so now would be the perfect time to grab one!).
9. Chat With Co-Workers
Just as you would in a normal office setting, make it a point to message and call your co-workers just to chat and check-in on them. Keeping a personal connection with your team is important when it comes time to collaborate on projects and it helps to keep the line of communication open.
10. Go With The Flow
Chances are not all of your colleagues are highly versed in technology and quickly moving from an in-office setting to being at home full-time will come with some bumps in the road.
Or, maybe you have your beautiful children at home with you, with which comes bountiful distractions.
No matter what difficulties you may come across, remember to breathe and just go with the flow.
Working From Home During Coronavirus Can Be Easy
No matter if you love working from home or this is a new experience for you, it can easily become a daily routine just like going into the office. Most importantly, remember to take care of yourself as your health is the most important thing.
