Structure and casual conversationswith colleagues that take place attheir workplaces.Whether you love it orhate it, working remote–only for those who are able to manageit,not every job is suitedto thiskind of flexibilitythis is not uncommon for manyof us because ofthepandemic.
For those who are brandnot yet familiar with working from home there’s plenty of helpout there about how tomanage the risksto stay productive and healthy(“Takethe time to wash!” “Don’t spend toomuch time on social media!”).
Based on my personal experience, working from home canbean absolute blastin the event that you choose to letit.That’s why I’d like you to reada few ideas for creatingthe perfect workspace and routines thatwillmake working from homean enjoyable, lasting experience.Maybe?You may notbe tempted to return tothe office!
1.Care for your body
In her bookProposalsfor the FeminineEconomyJenn Armbrust Städfirma i Göteborg outlines a setoffundamentals, the firstof which is”Youare a human being.”This sounds straightforward however, working fromhome may cause youtooverlookthe body’s fundamental needs.At your office it is likely that you havedesk chairs that were ergonomic oradjustable workstation.If, however, you workat home a lot your workspace may compriseof a kitchen table as well as abasic chairs.
You don’t need to investin a home office set-up however, you should pay attentiontohow your body feelswhen you work athome. Onebenefit ofworkingat homerather than inthe officethe flexibility to change positionsoften.You can try a variety of positions fromsitting inthe chair, standing atyour kitchen counter, or relaxingonthe couch or layingon a yogablockon the floor withyour table that doubles asyour desk. It took mea while(andsome seriousshoulderdiscomfort)to figure outthat thebest posture forprolonged writingisto siton a backless bench inyour dining room table.Different positions may helpyoudiscover your physical comfort faster.
Anotherthing to take note ofismovement.There is a good chance that you walkthroughout anoffice day– to the officefrom the bus or trainorparking garage, betweenmeetings,or even to the coffee shopto grab a cup of coffee –and those breaks are often lostwhen everything you requireis withina couple ofroomsinside your home. When I firstbeganworkingat home, Iwas surprised to find thatIwas sometimes able to complete lessthan1000 steps perday!
Theflexibility of home workis thatyou can generally move whenyou’d like.Set a timer forfitness or yogato break upan longemailchat.When I wasI was writing the bookJoyful I took unplanneddance breaks whenever I wasstuck onan article that helped clear my headbut could have been hardtoaccomplish in the office. I alsobegan takinglong walks inthe parkafter the end of eachday. Intheheat, it was my habit to printthemost recent draft and bringit with me and sitin the shade while writingit up. Inwinter, I’d draw itin the kitchen, on the island,after returninghome.
2.Use your commute
How long wasyourpre-pandemic daily commute? For manypeople the commute can vary from30 minutes to2hours(or more) all round everyday.It’s also a lot. Even at thelow end the 30 minutes you spendper day adds up totwo and ahalf hour thatyou’ve gained in aweek!
The most important thing is being mindfulabout how you utilize thattime.In your calendarhowever it doesn’t needtobe scheduled at the samewith your commutesimilar tohave a scheduled meeting.
You can also block thetime away for your own or unstructured time. This is somethingmany adults don’t makeenough of.But then make sure tolay down your tools onceyou hear the alert on your calendarandlet yourselfhave fun.
3. Createan environment that is sensory
With Flyttstädning i Göteborgdull color palettes along with the synthetic carpets and loudHVAC systems, the majority ofoffices are a solitarysensory environment.Combine that with the hum ofopen-plan seating, and thefact that many spacesaren’t always warm orhot, andthe typicalworkplace can be extremely unpleasanttospend time in but it isn’t easy to focus on gettingon your work.
While we oftenthink of the issue as excessive stimulation however, officescan just as easilybe understimulating.Workspaces are traditionally designedaccording to the notionthatto maximize productivity , youmust reduce distractions,leading to bland, featurelessareas.Research has proventhat whenpeople in these”lean”workspacesare compared to people workingin “enriched”environments that featurepaintings, plantsand more sensorial stimulation, the workers in theenhanced spaces are 15 percentmore productive.What if theyhave the ability to control the locationoftheir furniture? They’re33percentmore productive.
When you workfrom home, it’s possible tobecome like the peoplein thestudywho controlled their workspaceand createda sensory landscape that worksfor you.One way to do this iseliminating unpleasant sensations bypurchasing noise-cancelling headphones that blockout any distracting sounds or by adjustingyour temperature so that it’scomfortable for you.
Findways toadd pleasant sensationsto your work space.A picture on the walllets your eyelay on as you glanceaway from the screen. Play nature sounds.Select a mug that is brightly coloredfor your morningcoffee.
Thesenses of touch and smellareparticularly dullwhile we’re tappingaway on the keyboard,therefore look for waystoappeal to them. Forinstance I cover the tableI use to writewith a sheepskinthathas a distinctively non-office-liketexture. I keepthe essential oils in a bottleon my desk andsometimes use a diffuser tosmell the air.
4.Have a blast of sunshine
One of the flaws intypical offices is howfew daylight sources are availablein workplaces.Most workers’only light available in the daylightis from the dim, fluorescentsover their heads.However, research has shown that thosethat are more exposed tosunlight are more relaxed(upup to 46 minutes moreeachnight), areless stressed, and aremore activeduringthedaytime.The light of day regulates the production of key hormones as well asneurotransmitters, influencingthings from how alert we are,stress levels the immune system toour moods.
If you live in your home, youare more in control of whereyou’d like work Therefore, if it is possible,opt for a place that is close toa window.Ifyou’re not surrounded bydaylight in your space, use lamps to boosttheluminosity.Much like too muchlighting from blue screenscouldmake us sleepyat night, a healthydose of artificiallighting during the day couldhelp to keep our 24 hoursinternal kontorsstadning i Göteborg clock in sync.
Additionally, whenyouused to walkto work, you probablyhave a bit ofsunshine along the way, which you losein the event that you now jump rightinto work before dawn.The most impact of light ison our circadian rhythmsinthemorning. So, trytogo forjust a short walkbefore you settle down.
5. Green yourwork space
A simple wayto make your workspacemore enjoyable is to addgreenery.Plants that strugglein the dim lightsof a desk canthrivein the comfort of your home, andyou’ll also enjoy the benefitof enjoying themwhen you’re off workingwell.You don’t needmore thanSummer Rayne Oakes does in herliving space, but even just addingseveral has been foundtoease stress and improvethe ability to focus.
6.Createa”getto work” playlist
One of the challenges I’ve encountered whileliving at home can bethe transitions.It’s difficulttotake a break from all thoseroutine tasks(emptying the dishwasher as well as folding laundry.)and to get started with the taskthat you’re not doing.Many authorsmake fun of the fact that their homes arenot clean unless they’rewriting a book.
One thing that helps ishaving some sort ofritual to helpchange into a productive session. I havea couple of”Geton withWork” playliststhat assist withthis: onefor writing and one for email.The playlists always startwith the same song and it’s likean sonic trigger that helpsme tobe focused.
Other options for transitions aremaking a fresh cup ofcoffee or tea, performingsome quick stretchingor settingan attention timer(Iutilizeto use theTidesoftwareon mysmartphone).
7.Make snack time an event to remember
A lot of work-from-home guidesrecommend takingfood that is healthy, howeverI admit that when I’min flow, I muchprefereating lunchin my office.But that doesn’t mean thatI’m againsttaking breaks though.As I said earlier, the most important featuresofbreaks to me areto get outside and toincorporate exercise into my day.
I alsolike a goodsnack break.It’s common to think of snacksas fuel, but for me,they’re more of a reward.In addition, as writerGretchen Rubin has pointed out that snacks can helpus feel cared for and feel energized and enthusiastic.Having access to your ownkitchen will mean that you won’tneed to usethe packaged foods that area snack in most offices ortoconsume it froma bag.
I’man avid fanof cuttingup fruitsandthen arranging it insome sort of wheel around my plate and making little samplerplatesusing the fridge’spickles, olivesand othersnacks. Ialso make energy balls andbanana bread, and then freeze itso that I have itas a mid-week snack.Your office is yoursthis moment, so think ofwhat could make youfeelgood about yourself and makean area for it inyourroutine.