Remote work provides us with a lot of flexibility and comfort, and on the surface this seems to be a great thing, however it has its own pitfalls. Here are some insights, that will help you to be more comfortable and productive while working remotely.
1. Organise a comfortable and inspiring work place for yourself
When people think about remote work, they often dream of working in bed and staying in their pyjamas all day. However, in reality this is the least comfortable place to work. To stay productive, you have to have a separate place where you can work in comfort and without being disturbed. Look after your health by getting yourself a comfortable chair, a table and make sure that there is enough light and air in the room. Keep your work place in order: if the environment is messy, it will be hard to find motivation to proceed with your duties. Fill the area with items that you like and that raise your motivation and improve your mood. Having a clean and nice work place always helps you to concentrate better.
2. Come up with some rituals that will help you start your day
Every person has different needs: some people are able to work anytime and anywhere, but the majority of others need to a set a working mood to be productive. These rituals could vary from changing into a work outfit to put you in the right frame of mind to simply getting yourself a nice hot cup of coffee, or just moving to your special working place.
3. Communicate with your colleagues and friends more often
While working online it’s more difficult to maintain casual day-to-day communication with your team, even though we talk to them every day. These interactions mostly cover daily routines or urgent tasks, and we lose the personal touch between us. If it’s common in your company to have some informal events (offline or online), it’s really great, and you don’t want to miss these opportunities. However, if it’s not, offer to organise such events yourself, so that you can spend some time together to stay connected. Meeting with friends regularly will also help you to recharge.
4. Don’t forget to take breaks
It may seem that working from home gives us much more flexibilty and allows us to work in a more relaxed and comfortable environment. But sometimes, it turns out to be the other way round, and people who work from home work much more than they do from the office. So to avoid burnout, make sure that you don’t overstrain yourself. Don’t forget to take regular breaks to let your body and mind rest.
5. Walk every day
Having no need to commute to work on a daily basis, our physical activity decreases dramatically, especially nowadays, when pretty much everything, from food to clothes can be ordered online. Make a rule for yourself to walk every day, it will not only help you to exercise physically, but will help to take your mind off your job, and as a result this will boost your creativity.
6. Take some time offline daily and weekly
Everyday we recieve dozens and dozens of notifications, messages and alerts, which becomes a non-stop flow of distraction. We process huge amounts of information every day, that overwhelms our brains. All this increases our stress levels significantly and it’s crucial to take some time offline both on a daily and weekly basis. To recharge sometimes it’s enough just to lie down for 15 minutes with your eyes closed without constantly checking your phone and receiving incoming information. At the weekend try spending more time outdoors, going on nature trips of visiting cities with your family or friends, or dedicating time to your hobbies. The more active and satisfying time you have, the more refreshed and motivated you’ll feel on Monday as you start a new week.
Hopefully by following these tips you will avoid the feeling of isolation, health issues and other problems that working from home can cause.