Cultivating a Good Work Ethic from Home: Tips for Success
One of the many outcomes of the ongoing pandemic has been the national exodus of workers from their public office spaces to the home. Although initially considered a temporary measure, working from home appears to be here to stay as people are quickly adapting to the flexibility and convenience it provides. With no commute necessary, workers save more time in the morning and can prepare better, mentally and physically, for the day. Unmonitored breaks and more options for downtime allow us to exert more control over our schedule. However, this newfound freedom acts a double edged sword. In the absence of the structure and oversight of the public work space, people may find it more difficult to adhere to work timelines and struggle to stay focused on tasks and assignments throughout the day. Everyday distractions are all too easily accessible. If you find yourself struggling, these are some measures you can take to achieve a more balanced work lifestyle from home.
Set Normal Work Hours
Working from home all day can significantly inhibit one’s judgment of passing time, leading to a chaotic work approach that fosters imbalance. Set official times for you begin and conclude all work activities. For some, the typical 9 to 5 structure will do while others may have to be more creative due to later due dates and evening meetings. Adhere to the schedule that works for you and abstain from engaging in assignments and tasks outside the cutoff time set for yourself even if it’s “smaller tasks” such as checking your email or corresponding with a coworker. Maintaining a routine allows you to work more consistently and optimize your daily functioning overtime.
Separate Your Spaces
People naturally associate spaces with functions. The kitchen is for cooking and eating, the living room is for relaxing and entertaining, and the bedroom is for resting and recharging. When we engage in too many contradicting actions within the same space eg., working in bed or sleeping in the living room, we decrease the efficacy of all concentrated activities in those spaces over time. Find an area in your home specifically for work and setup it up to echo your office setting as much as possible. This may include formal seating and work desk as opposed to sitting on a couch or working from your lap. Extra points if you can position yourself near a window for natural sunlight and measured exposure to the outside world.
Change Your Clothes
Whether you’re working from home or going out, the old adage “dress for success” still holds. Changing out from your pajamas into more formal clothes helps create a differentiation in mood and signals when it’s time to go from relaxation to work. If it applies, take a step further and make you hair, wear accessories, or even put on make up. All these actions create a mental shift that facilitates a move from lethargy and passivity to motivation and activity. When you look like you’re ready for the work day, it inspires productivity and helps reintroduce a sense of control and resolve.
Create Transitions
Research has shown that people develop an internal cycle of stress that runs in response to the motions of everyday work. The process of leaving from and returning to the home, commuting, punching in and out, and saying hello and goodbye to co-workers are more than just banal activities; they actually serve as mental and physical bookends that inform our physiological and emotional state, allowing us to muster focus and energy for the day ahead and letting us know when we can decompress and lower our attention. In this era of working from home, we can reap the same benefits by creating new rituals to initiate the start or end of a work day. This can look like taking a moment to meditate, putting away all your work materials and cleaning out your space, or something more simple like washing your hands.
Adjusting to working from home can be challenging for many but following these steps can help introduce a measure of normality and help many achieve a healthy work life style balance.