Many people dream of the working from home lifestyle, envisioning long lunch breaks, being present for important family milestones, and relaxing with their laptop and coffee with a view. The reality is often no so ideal, and in the current climate, working from home may not have been your first choice but is now the only option.
To ensure your remote working experience is more fun in the sun, than doom and gloom, consider these tips when setting up your home work environment.
The first step in establishing any home office is setting up your Internet connection. It's more than likely that your company uses a direct fibre connection rather than just wifi. If you can set up fibre to the home, your connection will be more reliable ensuring video calls, email exchanges, and general browsing that much more consistent. If there will be other people at home while you are working, having a stable and fast Internet connection will also mean others stay occupied and not at your door asking, "when's dinner?"
If possible, try to set aside a dedicated space for your home office. It might seem nice to work in the kitchen, coffee machine at your fingertips, but hunched over the kitchen bench on a bar stool is not the most ergonomic environment. If you don't have an office desk and comfortable chair, think about ways to creatively use spaces in your home. Perhaps a mid-height room divider like a book shelf is the perfect height for a standing desk? If you work from more than just a laptop, try to also choose a space that you don't have to set up and pack away everyday. It is important to "switch off" at the end of the day, but being organized and ready to start each morning is just as important.
Speaking of switching off, the most effective remote workers make a schedule and stick to it! If you don't want to answer emails after dinner, make sure your computer is turned off. Some people like to recreate their morning routines as if they are going out, even though they are just going to the home office. Shower, eat breakfast, get dressed, and get to work on time. There may be distractions during the day, or things out of your control, but showing up on time will help you approach working from home with the right attitude.
Lastly, don't forget to take breaks! Especially if you find your desk or space less than comfortable, change locations, stand up, grab a cushion. Take your mid morning coffee outside, or spend 5-10 minutes doing some simple stretches while looking out the window. Your body will thank you and you'll feel more focused when you do get back to work.
Working from home can be challenging, but by setting up your space and making conscious decisions about time management you can keep your boss happy and still maintain the flexibility you want.
