Working from home can either be the greatest thing that has ever happened to you or a pandemic curse (or somewhere in between). Either way, working from home can lead to feeling a little restless. While working from home can provide some much-needed flexibility (e.g., cooking a hot lunch, being home with your kids [human or animal!]), you may also be feeling a little trapped or unmotivated. Here are some tips to help you survive (and thrive) working from home:
Take Breaks as You Would in the Office
Have you recently found yourself running out of your bathroom at top speed to answer the faint ringing of a work call? If this sounds like you, you may need a reminder to take breaks. Working from home can be a fine line between “going to the break room” and leaving your computer to hang out in your kitchen for a little too long. Be careful not to guilt yourself into thinking you are taking advantage of your time by taking breaks at home. You take breaks at work, so allow yourself the same freedom at home, within reason. Throughout the day, take moments to get up and stretch, walk around, and get something to drink/eat, just as you would in the office. Because our homes tend to be a little less spacious than our offices, our computers and phones are almost always within earshot. You have access while in the bathroom, when refilling your coffee, and during your legally mandated lunch. In any of these scenarios at work, you would be temporarily unavailable to answer a quick email or a call. Let yourself be unavailable when appropriate. No one wants to interrupt you during your bathroom break intentionally!
Work Alongside Others
As much as your child or pet bird might seem like great WFH companions, make sure you check in with others who are working to stay motivated. If possible, take some time to check in with your favorite coworker to see how their most recent project is going. Work alongside your partner or a roommate also working from home. Sometimes it can even be helpful to sit on a Teams or Zoom call with someone while you both work in silence.
Bonus Tip: Take Advantage of Your Resources!
Enjoy working from home! You have access to your fridge, filled with your favorite smoothie ingredients, so make one! It’ll take just as long as making a cup of coffee. Will your coworkers only see you from the waist up? Wear your cozy sweatpants. Working from home allows for some healthy human habits. Cuddle your kid while you answer emails. Sit in the sunshine while you enter data. Wrap yourself in that blanket your mom knit in quarantine during your morning meeting. Soak it all in!
Looking for more tips on remote work? Explore our work from home hub here.
