May 25, 2020 By SmartBiz Team

The latest increase in remote work opportunities can flip your workflow upside down if you are one of the many currently experiencing this shift. Finding a balance between your home life and your work life can be stressful when the two places are one and the same. Don’t let your productivity suffer at home; here are some tips for making your remote work transition seamless.

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Create a dedicated workspace

When you start working from home, you should take your surroundings into account. Find a room in your home that you think you could be the most productive in. Side note: if it’s your bedroom, don’t let your bed be your desk, it will be way too comfy).

Having a space in your home explicitly dedicated to doing work can help facilitate good working conditions, which will help you keep focused on your work and not on other household distractions such as the chores you need to get done. Try and make your home workspace feel like your office workspace; hang a calendar on the wall, add some office supplies, put things from your work desk on your home desk—creating the right environment will be incredibly beneficial to your workflow.

Tidy up every day

So you’ve created the proper workspace, now what? It’s not just about having the right space; you also have to take care of it. Cleaning up your workspace, creating an organization system, and freeing yourself from clutter can help you walk into work with the right mindset each day. If you leave a mess for future you to clean up, you will be starting your next day behind the ball and distract yourself from getting your actual work done. Don’t stop at organizing your desk, making your bed, and being dressed for work will also help you set the tone for each day.

Make a schedule and stick to it

When you are working from home, it’s easy to be consumed by your work. You might set hypothetical hours for your workday, but when you get momentum with that project you have been working on, it becomes hard to step away. Then suddenly, you look at the clock and see it’s midnight... oops. Setting a schedule and actively sticking to it can help you avoid burn out. Many people use digital calendars, like Google Calendar, for the ease of use, but if you are feeling overwhelmed by your increased computer time, try using a basic desk calendar to keep track of your days. Handwriting your schedule can help you remember what you have on your to-do list, make sure you aren’t overloading yourself, and help you visualize all that you have done to help you feel accomplished.

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Take a break from your phone

While technology can be incredibly useful for your day to day tasks, be sure to take some time away from it. Information overload can lead to a lack of motivation, and it will make it harder to get any work done. Reducing your screen time when you are outside of your working hours can give your brain a much-needed break. Try passing the time with a book, a puzzle, maybe a walk around the neighborhood to give your eyes and your mind a break from the screen.

Make smarter eating choices

Working from home can be a blessing and a curse for your diet. You can either have the time to make a healthy lunch, or you can feel stressed and grab those chips from the pantry that you love to snack on until dinner time. Consider meal prepping throughout the week to take the stress and guesswork out of figuring out what to eat. When you struggle with keeping your healthy habits throughout the remote workday, enrolling in a healthy and adaptable weight loss program can help you steer your wellness in the right direction. Choosing a program that allows you to pick a plan to best suit your lifestyle can help you take charge of your wellness journey and make lasting healthy habits.

Get moving

Working from home also leads to a very sedentary life. Think about it, your commute is incredibly short, you go from your bed to your desk, and when work is over, you sit and relax on the couch. Adding an exercise routine will be beneficial for your health and your productivity levels. It doesn’t have to be trying to run a marathon every week, try taking a walk around the neighborhood to get some fresh air, riding your bike around the park, anything to get you out there and moving.

Finding your groove while working from home can take some time, try different rooms, different schedules, find what works best for you. Hopefully, these tips have given you some good ideas on how to make remote work bearable.

 
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