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Working remotely from home has become an increasingly popular alternative to the traditional work environment. In fact, a recent study from Upwork reveals that 22% of the American workforce will be remote by 2025. This equates to roughly 36 million Americans that will make the transition from working at the office to working from home.
Although remote work offers several benefits to both employees and their employers, it does come with a unique set of challenges. That being said, there are several strategies available that can help remote workers ease their transition from the office to their home.
How to Work From Home Effectively and Efficiently
Working from home is a relatively recent advancement to the traditional workplace. As workers are transitioning from the office to their home, they’re often met with unforeseen challenges.
The biggest challenges that many remote workers face are maintaining productivity and achieving a healthy work-life balance. Employees that work from home must adapt to a new working environment, and this can be disruptive to both their work performance and mental health.
To work from home effectively and efficiently, remote workers need to develop strategies for boosting productivity and maintaining mental wellness.
5 Productivity Tips for Working From Home
Working remotely can blur the lines between work and personal life. This can make it difficult to maintain productivity when you transition from the office to your home.
To maintain productivity while working from home, you should:
- Create a dedicated workspace
- Stick to a routine
- Limit distractions
- Take short breaks
- Keep a detailed calendar
Let’s take a look at these productivity tips in detail to discover how they can help you stay on track while working from home.
Create a Dedicated Workspace
When working from home, it’s important to create an area that mimics an office workspace. It not only helps you focus on work, but it also helps you separate work from your space to relax and unwind.
Even if you don’t have a separate room to use as an office, it’s still possible to establish a dedicated workspace. To do this, simply designate a table or desk in your home to use as a workspace during work hours.
Stick To a Routine
Your body and mind rely on routines to know when it’s time to focus and when it’s time to relax. By sticking to a consistent work routine, it will be easier to achieve a productive mentality during work hours.
To establish a work routine, wake up, start work, take breaks, and end work at the same time everyday. Over time, it will get easier to shift into work mode when you need to.
Read our related article to discover how to improve time management.
Limit Distractions
Your home is usually a place for relaxing, spending time with your family, and doing household chores. These everyday activities often turn into distractions when your home becomes your workplace.
To eliminate distractions while working from home, you can wear noise-canceling headphones, avoid social media scrolling, and set clear boundaries with others in your home.
Take Short Breaks
It’s hard to maintain focus and productivity over long periods of time. Although it sounds counterintuitive, taking short breaks can actually boost your productivity while you work from home.
Once every hour, you should stand up, stretch, and walk around for five minutes. Taking regular breaks helps you avoid burnout by giving you brief moments to recharge.
Keep a Detailed Calendar
It’s easier to lose track of tasks, deadlines, and meetings while working from home. To make sure you stay on top of your work responsibilities, you should keep a detailed calendar.
Some remote workers prefer a physical calendar, while others prefer the convenience of a digital one. Either way, keeping a detailed calendar ensures you stay organized and on schedule.
Read our related article for more ways to enhance work performance at the office or at home.
5 Mental Health Tips for Working From Home
When you work from home, you miss out on leaving the house, getting your work done, socializing, and coming home to relax. While it might seem convenient at first, it can take a toll on your mental health over time.
To make sure you stay happy and healthy while working from home, you should:
- Practice self-care
- Stay connected with colleagues
- Spend time outside
- Maintain a work-life balance
- Work a hybrid schedule
Let’s explore these mental health tips further to determine how they can help you achieve mental wellness while working from home.
Practice Self-Care
Working remotely can lead to bad habits like a sedentary lifestyle, poor hygiene, and neglected responsibilities.
To practice self-care while working from home, you should exercise regularly, stay on top of personal hygiene, and keep a clean workspace.
Stay Connected With Colleagues
Connecting with others in the workplace provides an opportunity for socialization, collaboration, and comradery. When you work from home, there are significantly less opportunities for meaningful interactions with colleagues.
To stay connected with your workplace colleagues, check-in with them regularly, utilize team message boards, and participate in casual conversations whenever possible.
Spend Time Outside
It’s important for remote workers to leave the comfort of their home from time to time. Getting fresh air and sunlight is an important part of maintaining mental health, but it often gets overlooked when working from home.
Taking walks outside before or after work can provide you with a fresh change in scenery and an instant boost to your mental health. If you can work on a laptop, you can also try working outside when the weather permits.
Maintain a Work-Life Balance
Working from home provides you with instant access to your work responsibilities. This makes it easier for you to work longer hours or spend time working during your personal time.
Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is essential to your mental health. If you stick to a regular routine and accomplish work tasks during dedicated work hours, you can prevent your work from taking over your personal time.
Work a Hybrid Schedule
To counteract the challenges that come with working remotely, you can spend a couple days out of the week working at the office.
Working a hybrid schedule gives you the best of both worlds: you get to experience the structure of working in an office and the autonomy of working from home.
Read our related article to discover what to do to improve mental health at work.
REDC Helps You Achieve Success in the Workplace
REDC at Yavapai College offers the tools and resources you need to achieve professional success. Our courses are online and self-paced, allowing you to get the education you need without interrupting your busy schedule.
If you’re looking for ways to become an effective professional in the workplace, check out our Workplace Essential Courses today.