Although many of us have been working from home for what feels like ages at this point, that doesn't mean that we aren't still experiencing issues. Working from home is hard to get used to, no matter if you've been doing it for a few days or a few months. Here are some tips for remote workers who are still having a hard time adjusting to doing their job outside of their typical office.
Tips To Adjust To Remote Working
Step One: Start your morning right
How you start your morning can influence how the rest of your day goes. Everyone's morning routine looks different, so don't be afraid to look into what top business professionals do each morning and try out their rituals to find what works best for you. Generally, when people start their workday they take a shower, brush their teeth, make breakfast, grab a coffee, and head out the door.
Your routine shouldn't stop just because you aren't going into the office anymore. Carry on with your morning routine as you normally would because it can help to make you more productive and increase your overall happiness. Start your day with a fresh face, eat a balanced breakfast, and change out of those pajamas!
Treat working remotely the same as working in the office. Whatever dress policy your company had in place before the pandemic, try to enforce it from your house as well. If your company requires business casual on weekdays and allows jeans on Fridays, then dress that way at home. It's one thing to dress professionally one day a week, but to consistently carry out your company's rules and culture even while at home is truly the telecommuting pro's behavior.
Step Two: Learn when you’re most productive
There are certain times of day when you are most productive, and sometimes you have to use trial and error to figure out what times are best for you. For some, it can be in the morning right after they have a cup of coffee, while for others, it may be towards the end of the day after they've had a nice lunch.
The only way for you to do this is to analyze your work habits and moods during these times. Schedule out your day beforehand, and start taking note of how you feel in hour increments. This will help you to determine which times you work the best. Consider buying a journal dedicated to work to make it easier to log and organize your findings.
Besides the time of day, other things can influence your productivity that you should take note of too. Your kids, television, or even noise from outside your home can distract you from working, so it's important to log those in your journal as well.
While your brain may be the most active at 8 am, that may not be the best time for you to work if that's also when your child wakes up, or your spouse starts their meetings. A telecommuting professional will be able to address the factors that play into their productivity, carefully examine the situation, and proceed from there.
Step Three: Have lunch and schedule breaks
Lunch is vital for trying to stay healthy when working from home. The right foods will improve your work performance and promote better mental and physical health. Prep a meal the day before, just as you would if you were bringing your lunch to the office. That way, you aren't wasting your precious time on preparing the meal, rather than actually eating.
Don't forget about taking breaks to use the bathroom or getting up to stretch your legs. It'll help get your body moving and give your brain a break. If you still struggle with remembering to take breaks, set alarms on your phone various times throughout the day, so you're never sitting for too long. It also keeps you from overworking yourself.
Excessive stress and long hours can have harmful consequences on a person's overall well-being, from hair loss to heart disease. Although hair loss medication can make hair loss manageable and slow down the hair loss process, more severe medical conditions like heart disease aren’t as straightforward, so try to decrease how much stress you experience in your workday.
The thing to note here is that skipping lunch or refraining from breaks doesn't make you a better worker; it's quite the opposite. Becoming a better remote worker means being able to recognize the things that increase productivity and promote wellness, along with the things that hinder it.
For the last few months, many professionals have had to make adjustments to working from home. Advice and tips on this transition will help us be more efficient now and when we return to our typical workplaces.
About the Author: Capri is a writer dedicated to helping people understand the importance of good health and well-being while encouraging men and women to become the best version of themselves. When she’s not writing, you can find her spending time with her cat or mediating.