Creating a Productive Work-From-Home Environment
More people than ever are working from home. Even as the world re-opens, many companies and individuals are sticking with remote work after enjoying the benefits and discovering the possibilities.
Over the past year, employers and employees have noticed some significant perks of remote work:
- Freedom and flexibility
- Save money
- Save time
- Peace and quiet
- No commute
- Improved work/life balance
- Create your own optimized environment
- Peace and quiet
- A greater talent pool
- Boosted productivity
Working from home isn’t for everyone. But many employers, and their employees, have seen increased productivity, minimized office politics, improved communication, and lowered costs. All of this has led some companies to opt into remote work long-term.
Whether you’re a remote freelancer or part of a growing organization that allows employees to work from home, an optimized home work environment is essential. Today, we’re going to look at creating a productive work-from-home environment you can enjoy for years to come.
Set Aside Time for Healthy Meals
For all the benefits that come with remote work, there are a few challenges as well. When we’re at home all day, the lines between work and everyday life can become blurred. With less structure, it can be easy to skip breakfast or snack on junk instead of taking a proper lunch break.
Carving out time for a nutritious breakfast and lunch adds much-needed structure to your workday, not to mention providing you with the vitamins and nutrients you need to succeed. Many people find that eating the same thing for breakfast and lunch each day saves them from decision fatigue and makes healthy meals a no-brainer.
Joining a healthy meal service is one great way to save time and commit to a nutritious routine.
Remember to Take Breaks
In the same spirit, don’t forget to take breaks when you need them. Traditional offices often have with a million distractions: coworkers stopping by to chat, constant interruptions, meetings that never end, and more. Without those distractions, some people are tempted to go extra hard with their “extra time.” But taking regular breaks actually bolsters productivity.
Without breaks, you’ll reach burnout faster. Whether you realize it or not, your concentration and output will suffer. Stopping every now and then to stand, stretch your legs, or grab some fresh air will help improve the status of your mind, body, and soul.
You can even try a “walking meeting” if your check-in doesn’t require screen-sharing. Give a coworker the rundown while you get some sunshine and take your terrier around the block. Luckily, working from home affords us a lot of freedom to get creative with our responsibilities.
Take Care of Yourself
A significant challenges of working from home is maintaining a high level of self-care. While it’s certainly liberating to work in your slippers from time to time, a too-casual approach can leave you feeling dumpy or depressed.
Putting on a favorite outfit, pampering your skin, or starting the day with a heart-pumping jog can all help break the monotony of remote work. Importantly, it can also boost your confidence. And when you feel good about yourself, you can be more present and productive at work.
A few ideas for self-care to improve your outlook:
-Pamper yourself with at-home spa experiences like face masks, hair masks, body butters, or a new skincare regimen that will have you glowing in your Zoom meetings. These body butters and salt scrubs are a great place to start.
-Create a clean, beautiful home office. Remove unnecessary clutter from your desk, position yourself near natural sunlight, and invest in a supportive chair. Light a scented candle that promotes calm and focus. Display items that make you feel enthusiastic and positive: a wall calendar with your goals, photos of loved ones, or artwork that inspires.
-Build a routine that works for you. Remote work comes with a lot of freedom, but too much freedom can leave you feeling scattered and unorganized. Structure is the key to balancing flexibility with responsibility. Laying out your outfits the night before and making your lunch for the week in advance are two excellent ways to set yourself up for consistency and success.
Conclusion
Working from home comes with its own unique challenges and benefits. Most of us are still finding our groove and discovering what works best for us. As with anything, remote work involves a little trial and error on our part.
But once you find an optimal workflow and routine, you can enjoy the many benefits of working from home. At the end of the day, eliminating a commute and office distractions leaves you with more time for yourself and promotes a healthy work-life balance.
Lastly, don’t forget to check out these essential home-office items. When it comes to your remote work environment, a little thoughtfulness and planning go a long way.