HOW TO MAKE WORKING FROM HOME, WORK FOR YOU.
Working from home comes with it’s perks, from saying ciao to peak hour traffic to having flexibility in your day. To get the most from working from home, I’ve got some tips and tricks to share that will get you out of your PJ’s, and get you geared up and glammed up!
1. Separate Spaces – A separate office is always a good idea. It provides privacy, and a place to think, plan and work, whilst protecting your personal and family space. A door that can be physically and metaphorically closed helps to clearly define the end of the working day.
If that’s not a possibility, keeping a tidy and clutter free work desk may help to make the disconnection at the end of the day. Perhaps a large potted plant can be used as a divider to soften the boundaries between your desk and your living area.
2. Style Your Space – Make your space unique and stimulating with stylish decor, natural light, fresh flowers, artwork, candles, books, inspiration, a vision board, and some favourite personal items. Make it meaningful and a pleasure to work from. Playing music for work and study can improve focus and concentration, so get a speaker connected to your computer or laptop and allow the music to stimulate your mind.
3. Winning Mindset – Adopting a great attitude and razor sharp focus is essential to productivity. Concentrating on the task at hand and becoming personally accountable for your time is paramount to successfully navigating the blurred lines between home-life and home work-life.
4. Get Social – Catching up with friends, family, colleagues or business associates for lunch, coffee or after work drinks is a wonderful way to break up the day, and to enjoy stimulating conversation in a social setting. This is great for overall wellness and connection to others. Without scheduling time for recreation and catch ups, working from home can be isolating.
5. Make Mornings Your Friend – It’s always a good idea to have a routine, but importantly to make the most of the early hours. Use the mornings to your advantage whilst there is peace and quiet, unless of course you’re a night owl.
Morning rituals may include exercise, stretching, yoga, being creative, eating a nutritious breakfast, strategizing, or getting straight to work. The extra hour or two of being productive can change the entire trajectory of your day.
6. Move That Body – Keep moving and find ways to add extra steps to your day. There are several ways to do this, by placing your printer in another room forcing you to get up and walk to retrieve the printed documents, taking a short walking/stretching break every 45 minutes to an hour, going to the kitchen to fill up your glass of water, enjoying sunshine and a walk around the block at lunchtime, or pumping up the music and having a mid-afternoon dance off!