There are two distinct camps when it comes to working from home: Team "This is a Dream" and Team "This is a Nightmare". Regardless of which side you fall on, we can all agree that working from home comes with some unique challenges.
When the physical environment for work and play are the same, the lines can get blurry if you're not careful. When office workers head out the door for work, home responsibilities are left behind; for those with a home office, there are visual cues around all day to remind you of the rest of your life. Even those who pride themselves on maintaining a healthy work-life balance might find clear boundaries no longer exist.
And unless you live alone, you’ll find yourselves surrounded by others who are not co-workers and, therefore, have their own routines and needs. With a daily agenda that likely doesn't align with your work responsibilities, it can be a challenge to create appropriate boundaries. When family and friends see you at home, they come to believe you are available whenever needed. On the flip side, if you do live alone, the home office can be lonely, which invites the brain to distract itself with chores, T.V. or other forms of distraction. Without a boss watching or co-workers to collaborate with, it's easier to procrastinate getting your tasks done, which inevitably leads to increased stress.
Each challenge can make it difficult to maintain focus and productivity while working from home. Whether you work from home full-time or have a hybrid arrangement with some days in the office and some days at home, it behooves you to learn how to set yourself up for success. By creating firm boundaries and a schedule with these six tips, you can create habits that will train your brain to recognize when it is time to get to work and when it's time to back off after the work day ends.
1. Maintain a set schedule during the workweek. Set the alarm, just like you would if you had to catch a morning train. Shower and get dressed for work. You don’t need to go back to sports jackets or high heels, but working from pajamas is not advisable as it subconsciously signals your body to relax. As for meals, make it a point to eat breakfast before beginning work and take a designated lunch break away from your computer to give your brain a break.
2. Create a workday start-up and shut-down ritual. As much as possible, start and end work at approximately the same time each day. Create checklists of activities to do first thing in the morning and lastly before walking away from work. If you stick to them, you will be training your brain to set boundaries around your time.
3. Designate a separate workspace. If you don’t have a home office, find a corner and set up a designated workspace. Keep all work materials together. If you need to move to another area for a change of scenery, put everything back in the designated work area at the end of the day.
4. Minimize distractions. Clear your space, keeping only work-related materials in sight. Shut down unrelated work notifications and apps on your computer and phone to avoid constant interruption. Put a “Working—Do Not Disturb Sign” where family and roommates can see, and be open with your need to be left undisturbed for certain hours of the day. If necessary, wear noise-canceling headphones.
5. Manage chaos. When there's laundry that needs to be done, an errand to run and a floor to be swept, taking "a quick five-minute break" can often turn into hours neglecting your work. While some small tasks can be managed throughout the day, it's important to find ways to avoid home distractions throughout the workday. If you know you can't help but stop to wash dishes from dinner last night, do it right after you finish eating instead of letting them sit overnight. Use your lunch break for errands and workouts, and consider scheduling specific times in the day to do small tasks like loading the washing machine or checking the mail so they don't break up your thought process too much.
6. Make sure the weekend is time off from work. Do your absolute best to keep time off sacred. Spending the weekend enjoying leisure activities that rejuvenate you sends you back to work feeling refreshed and focused.
Whether you love it or hate it, remote work is becoming the norm across many industries. Learn to create clear boundaries and increase your focus and productivity so that you can appreciate the many advantages of your new flexible working arrangements.