Working from home has many advantages such as flexible hours, better home-office balance and no traffic congestion! It can seem like a dream come true – but it can present its own set of challenges. Isolation, distractions and communication difficulties are some of the problems you may face if you work remotely. The lack of physical separation between home and work makes it difficult to “switch off” at the end of the day.
You can keep being proactive even when you are working from home. Here is a bunch of great work-at-home tips to overcome the challenges.
Create a dedicated workspace
A conducive workspace can keep you motivated and focused. Create a dedicated workspace at home as your working station. Set yourself up with a comfy, supportive chair, a spacious desk, and consistent workplace tools. Avoid setting up your workspace in bedroom or living room to stay away from personal life that may interrupt your work.
Keep yourself to regular work hours
Working from home does not mean you can get lazy or delay all the works you need to do. One surefire way to keep productivity up is to keep to regular work hours. You need to schedule all tasks and meetings for the day to keep you on track. But, don’t forget your break for a meal!
Stay connected with colleagues
Make sure you check in with your colleagues during work hours, whether by call, text message or video call. There are many types of mobile software or applications that you can use to stay in touch. At some point, you do not even have to talk about work, just for a little chat to avoid ‘burn out’.
Exercise & stretch regularly
Working from home means you skip your commute and have fewer reasons to get up from your chair throughout the day. Make sure you stand up regularly to stretch or move around to alleviate body aches. Try simple exercises like jumping jacks, sit-ups, planks, lunges and push-ups.
Avoid distractions
It is undeniably true that you may face a lot of distractions while working from home. Therefore, you must establish strict boundaries and keep a firm barrier between my work life and home life. Physically removing yourself into a separate home office helps. With no television, books, kids or pets around, you succumb to them less easily. You may also find it helpful to turn off all of your social media during work hours.