Working from home:Creating a positive daily routine
Learn how to improve your work/life balance with these simple tips to tackle your working from home routine.
The pandemic has changed everything and we have all had to adjust to new ways of living and getting things done…..which by the way, credit where credit is due, we have all done BRILLIANTLY at this (*pat your own back in your hybrid home office now*)
We find ourselves in a time of uncertainty again, and whilst working from home has its perks (no more commuting is I’m sure everyones number 1!) We should be mindful that the stress, anxiety and feeling of no control and isolation that comes with this new way of working is very real, and levels in which we experience these can be high.
I wanted to share some strategies, hacks and some personal advise to help maintain productivity and stay balanced whilst working from home……….
Make a dedicated wellness workspace
Now we have all been here before (2019 - the forgotten year!) and I am sure you have made many changes within your home to better facilitate a ‘working zone’ for yourself.
Some of us built offices, others set up a desk in the spare room, and many adapted a communal space within the house.
Now budgets have been big and small for people to make their changes, but one thing remains the same - all the little touches will go a long, long way.
For example;
Does your work space have any daylight? Can you move yourself near to a window? Can you splurge out some of the Christmas money on a desk lamp? Bad light/no light in your working space is damaging to your well-being and mental health. Switch the light on, open the curtains and let the happy rays shine in!
Does your dedicated area have any distractions? The TV, the washing machine, the constant sound of a boiling kettle? Can you move yourself away from these areas? Close a door? Put in headphones if you are sharing with others in a property to help immerse yourself into YOUR wellness workspace.
Working 9-5
We love Dolly Parton, and she hits the nail on the head that working 9-5 is your average working day, but this can get quite blurry and run into home time when we work from home doesn’t it?
Now as much as we love Dolly, we know not everyones job is 9-5, and with the new hybrid arrangements, having a family at home etc, some work may get done before sunrise and after sunset. Whatever works for you is important, but whats also really important is to remember the saying ‘Work smarter and not harder’ Define the hours you work and stick to them, find out when you’re most efficient and adjust your working hours accordingly.
Take a break
It’s a simple one to think about, and also one to easily forget! How often do we forget to take a lunch break and power on through, this is a great work ethic, but even your manager will tell you, you will be more efficient if you walk away for 10-60minutes. Your body is not programmed to be in front of a screen all day, and we as humans are not built to be robotic.
Take a break for as long as you can each day, and try to take some of this time out in the garden or in nature or simply sipping that cuppa looking out the window. Your mind, body and soul will thank you for this little treat, and you will find that you will come back to your work refuelled with all the right energy to get your ‘to do list’ across the line.
Set boundaries
This is for you as an individual for your day, i.e Don’t turn the TV on at 9am and go into a time warp for a few hours. Focus on what boundaries you need to work efficiently at home, but also set these boundaries with other members of your household.
If you are being asked to work from home, but so too are other members of the household, kids may be off school etc. You all have your needs to get by each day, communicate about whats on your agenda each day/week and plan those zoom calls when it’s not just about to turn into the ‘hangry’ behind you in the kitchen in full view. Use google calendar or one the various family calendar apps to all be on the same page and plan ahead you’re working weeks.
Rise & shine
It is ohhh so tempting to stay in bed for as long as humanly possible, especially in these cold, dark winter mornings, but discipline is needed here and will pay off in the long run (we promise!) This gives you consistency and gets you set and ready for each day.
Don’t get us wrong its totally ok to indulge occasionally, but as a rule of thumb your alarm should be set at the same time each morning (and dare I say it, the same time at the weekends too!) Creating this balanced routine will help you immensely, try it for a week and see how you feel.
Rituals
Now this doesn’t mean you have to do some spiritual ritual in your garden each morning (that’s my thing but may not be yours) The important thing is to give yourself that all important ‘Me time’ in the morning.
You may have not realised it before, but on your daily commute, picking up that coffee at Costa, grabbing the Metro and getting your favourite seat at the front of the train, was your morning ritual. If any of these things didn’t happen or went wrong in someway, your morning didn’t get off to a good start did it? We now have such an advantage to be in our own space and have more control of our mornings going exactly how we want them. Create a morning ritual, dedicate that time and start your day off in the best way possible.
Plants & Paintings
Did you know art in the workplace has been shown in various studies to boost productivity, lower stress and increase wellbeing?Workers in offices displaying art are 30% more productive than those without and 80% feel art in the workplace improves wellbeing.
Did you also know that having plants in your office space helps reduce stress, increase productivity, builds your immune system, boosts creativity and purifies the air?
If you haven’t already, we advise maybe you put at least one of these down on your Christmas list! All these benefits and it makes the space look great too!
Clothes & Calories
That’s not usually two words you see together as ‘advice’ - but hear me out……..It is too tempting to stay in your PJ’s eating ice-cream all day, and as much as that is good for your wellbeing maybe as Saturday night switch off treat, it is not how you roll into Monday mornings meeting.
What you wear, what you eat and how you feel all plays a huge part in how you turn up! Now you are not having to turn up at the offices, but you still need to turn up and be present and in work mode when you are at home.
By getting dressed, having a nutritional breakfast and getting the right mindset all before you have switched the laptop on, you may as well be a can of red bull and have wings, as you have set yourself up to fly!……….
And today is going to another great day at the home office!