Everybody’s doing it these days. It may be one or two days a week, or you may be rotating weeks with a coworker. Or you may be all out full time WFH. But regardless, there are strategies to help you maintain focus, be productive and get the job done! Here are a few tips for making your work from home experience a great one-mentally, physically and emotionally.
1. Make your space exclusive
Keeping work separate from home is important. If you set up a makeshift desk in the dining room, you could be setting yourself up for a productivity stall. The mind tends to associate certain areas with certain tasks. Take your dining room for instance. Sitting there, you most likely associate it with family, food and socializing. You typically associate your bedroom with sleep and relaxation. Your brain may have a hard time adjusting and focusing on the work at hand if you attempt to do it in one of these areas of your house. With a remote area strictly designated for work, the daily habit of “walking to the office” may trigger your gray matter to focus on work and not what’s for dinner or getting some shut-eye.
If possible, choose a space with a door, or at the very least a divider. A door is optimal to avoid distractions, noise, and voices, Some degree of noise cannot be avoided if you have your peeps at home, but setting expectations as to what is an appropriate level of noise during your work hours and holding to it, will limit distractions and hopefully give you the focus and quiet time you need to finish out the workday.
2. Make It Personal
You’re gonna be spending roughly 8 hours a day in this spot, so make it somewhere you want to be. One of the advantages is the ability to make it your own. Do you have a favorite artist, a favorite hobby or are you a fan of Charles Shultz’s Peanuts Gang like me? Bring a little bit of “you” in. Anything Peanuts brings a smile to my face so I couldn’t resist these Peanuts Wall Art Prints, or this Peanuts Gang Mousepad. Or how about taking a sip out of this? Doesn’t that make you smile? Make work your “happy place”!
Add some photos of family, friends a vacation getaway that was memorable. Or what about your favorite Scripture or an inspiring quote framed on your desk to spur you on and finish a project? What about some greenery? Bringing the outdoors in, specifically flowers and plants have been studied and shown to decrease stress and increase productivity. Another way you can add your personal touch is a new paint job. What colors inspire you? Red, orange and yellow hues (go yellow!) are associated with energy and productivity. The jury is still out on Color Psychology but who doesn’t love a splash of color that gives you good vibes in a space you’re spending much of your waking hours?
3. Get off your Bum
Make sure to schedule in breaks, walks or anything that keeps you from becoming a “desk chair potato” (similar to a couch potato but with a different piece of furniture). If you have ever worked in an office you probably ran out for lunch with a friend, walked down to the cafeteria for coffee or stood around the water cooler discussing shoe trends or your son’s last baseball tournament. You were walking, standing, etc. Continue the routine of getting up, moving around, and stretching. Did you know your brain appreciates this too? Studies show that aerobic exercise is linked to the creation of new neurons. These neurons can increase and strengthen concentration and focus. There are studies that indicate cognitive benefits come from that 10-minute sprint workout or that 15 minute walk around the block. Such benefits include sharper memory, creativity and better concentration. How’s that for a Win-Win?
4. Be a Neat Freak
Clutter is NOT your friend and can hamper productivity and concentration. Make an effort to clean up your workspace every evening before you head out. Think about what tasks you have to complete the next morning and get things in order so you are ready to roll right when you log on to that laptop. Having file cabinets, paper trays, organizing baskets, shelves and items to eliminate clutter will help keep focus on work and you won’t be wasting precious moments searching for those research articles you need that are buried under a bunch of post-it notes.
WFH Wrap-up
The 4 tips above should get you well on your way to productivity city! Some things to consider:
- Check out Pinterest for great home office set-ups and ideas
- These At-home Workouts are worth checking out for those times you need to feel energized and just need a quick workout