structure and the casual chatswith coworkers that happen atthe office.It doesn’t matter if you like it orhate it, working remote–for those who are able to doit;not all jobs lend themselvesto thiskind of flexibilitywhich is the norm for a large portionof us due tothepandemic.
If you’rewho are new to working from home there’s plenty of helpout there about how toavoid the trapsand keep yourself productive and well-maintained(“Takean hour to shower!” “Don’t spend toomany hours on social media!”).
But from my own experience working from home canbean absolute pleasureIf you’re willing to allowit.That’s why I’d like you to reada few ideas for creatingan environment and routines thatwillmake working from homea joyful, sustaining experience.What’s more, who knows?You might not evenwant to go back tothe office!
1.Take care of your body
In her bookProposalsfor the FeminineEconomy,Jenn Armbrust Städfirma i Göteborg outlines a setoffundamentals, the firstprinciple being”Youhave a body.”It’s simple enough, but working fromhome can make it easytoforget aboutyour body’s essential needs.At your office, you probably hadan ergonomic chair for your desk oradjustable workstation.However, unless you workat home the workspace you have may consistof a table in the kitchen and abasic chairs.
You don’t have to investin a whole home-office setup, but rather pay attentiontohow your body is feelingduring your work hours athome. Oneadvantage toworkingfrom home –rather than working fromthe officethat you are able to change positionsoften.Explore various postures and positions, whether it’ssitting inchairs, standing atthe counter in your kitchen, sittingonthe sofa or sittingon a yogamaton the floor withyour coffee table acting asa desk. It took mequite a while(andsome severeshoulderpain)to recognizethat thebest position forlong writing exercises for meissittingin a bench without backs atyour dining room table.Different positions may helpyoudiscover your physical comfort faster.
Anotherthing to pay attention toismovement.You’re likely to be walkingduring youroffice day– to the officefrom the bus or train stationorparking garage, betweenmeetings,or to the cafeto grab a cup of coffee –These breaks from movement fadeas everything you needis withinthe confines of a fewroomswithin your home. When I firststartedworkingfrom home, itwas shocked to realize thatIwould sometimes walk lessthan1,000 steps perday!
Thefreedom of working from homecan mean thatyou can largely move whenyou’d like.Try setting a clock forfitness or yogato break upan longemailsession.Whilecreating my memoirJoyful I took impromptudance breaks whenever I gotstuck onone of the chapters, which cleared my headbut was difficulttoaccomplish in the office. I alsobegan to takelong walks inthe parkat the end of eachday. Inthespring, I’d writethelatest draft and carryit with me to sitin the shade , while markingit up. Inthewinter months, I’d write thison the kitchen tablewhen I returnedhome.
2.Make use of your commute
What was the length ofyournormal commute prior to getting ill? For many the commute can vary from30 minutes to2hour(or more) all round everyday.It can really add up. Even at thelower end, that 30 minutesper day adds up totwo and aquarter hoursyou’ve now gained perweek!
The key is being intentionalabout how you utilize thattime.Put it on your calendarbut it doesn’t havetobe at the exacttime of your commutelike you woulda meeting.
You could also block thistime to enjoy free leisure time, unstructured and free, somethingthat a lot of adults aren’t gettingenough of.But make sure tolay down your tools oncethe calendar alert goes offandallow yourself tobe a part of it.
3. Createan environment that is sensory
With Flyttstädning i Göteborgdull color palettes along with the synthetic carpets and loudHVAC systems,workplaces are filled with a dullsensory landscape.Take in the noise generated byopen-plan seating, as well as thetruth that many officesare usually too cold, orhot, andanworkplace can be very unpleasanttospend time in and even harder to getwork done.
While we oftenperceive the issue as being overstimulation the reality is that officesare just as likely tobe understimulating.The design of workspaces has beenbased on the beliefthatin order to increase productivity, youhave to limit distractionsthat can result in bland, uninterestingareas.Research showsthat whenthose working in”lean”workplacescompare to those workingin “enriched”environments that featureflowers, artwork,and other sensory stimulation and the people working inenvironments that are more stimulating are 15%more productive.Furthermore, if the employeesare in charge of the layoutoftheir furniture? They’re32percentmore productive.
If you workat home, it’s possible tobecome like the peoplein thestudywho were in control of their workcreatingthe sensory space that worksfor you.Some of this might meaneliminating unpleasant feelings, for example byusing noise-cancelling headsets to blockout unwanted sounds, or changingyour temperature so that it’scomfortable for you.
Additionally, considerways tobring pleasant feelingsto your workplace.The hanging of an imageallows your eyes totake a break from while lookingaway from your computer. Play nature sounds.Choose a colorful mugfor your morningcoffee.
Thesensual senses of smell, touch, andareespecially neglectedduring the hours we’re tappingat our keyboards,therefore, try to find waystostimulate them. Forexample I cover the tableI sit on when writingwith a sheepskin, whichhas a decidedly unofficelike softtexture. I keepan essential oil bottleon my desk, andoften use a diffuserfragrance the air.
4.See some sunshine
A design flaw oftypical offices is howthere isn’t much daylightin the workspaces.Theonly light in the dayis from the dim light bulbsabove.But studies show that workerswho are exposed to moresunlight sleep better(upto 46 minutes morepernight) They are alsoless stressed andmore activethroughouttheday.Light is a key factor in the regulation of hormones andneurotransmitters, influencingmany aspects, from our level of awareness,stress levels our immune system andour moods.
In your house, youcan choose whereyou’d like work So, if you are able,choose a space nearan opening.And ifyou don’t have muchdaylight in your space Use lamps to boosttheluminosity.Just like the excessblue light from our screenscouldkeep us upat night, getting adose of artificiallight throughout the day canaid in keeping our 24-hourinternal kontorsstadning i Göteborg clocks in tune.
Additionally, whenyouused to commuteto work, you probablyenjoyed a bitsunlight during your journey, which you loseIf you are now rushinginto work the first thing.The most impact of light isupon our circadian cycleinthemorning, so trytogo outside forsome timebefore sitting down.
5. Green yourworkspace
One of the easiest things you can doto make your officehappier is to includegreenery.Plants that can strugglewith the dim lightof the office canthrivein your home. Additionally,you get the additional benefitof being able to relaxwhen you’re not working aswell.There’s no requirement to haveas many plants asSummer Rayne Oakes does in herown home office But even addingone or two has been proventoease stress and improveyour ability to concentrate.
6.Makean”getstarted” playlist
One challenge I’ve found inliving at home can bethe need to make transitions.It’s hardtostop doing all thosemundane tasks(emptying the dishwasher as well as folding laundry.)and to get started, especially if there’s workyou’re avoiding.In fact, many writersclaim that their homes arenever tidier than when they’reworking on a book.
Another thing that can help ishaving aroutine that helps tostart of a session. I havea couple of”GettoWork” playliststhat help withthis: oneto write and one for email.The playlists always startwith the same song as it isan audio trigger that promptsme topay attention.
Another option for transitions ismaking a fresh cup ofcoffee or tea, performinga quick stretchor settingthe timer for focus(Iutilizemy phone’sTidesoftwareon myphone).
7.You can make snack time special
A majority of guides to working from homewill advise you to havean actual lunch break, howeverit’s true that whenin flow, I muchprefereatingwhile at work.It doesn’t mean, however, thatI don’t believe intaking breaks, however.Like I mentioned earlier one of the main benefitsofmy breaks areto be active andincorporate movement into my workday.
I alsoenjoy a greatsnack break.We often think of snacksas fuel but for methey’re more of a treat.As writerGretchen Rubin has pointed out that sweets can helppeople feel appreciated in a positive way, and also energized and inspired.Having access to your ownkitchen means you don’tneed to resort tothe processed foods that constitutea snack in most offices ortotake it out ofa bag.
I’ma huge fanof cuttingup fruitandthen arranging it ina wheel around my plate or making small samplerplateswith leftovers from the fridge, filled witholives, picklesand othersnacks. Ican also make energy bars orbanana breadand freeze someto havefor a snack during the week.You’re the office’s managerright now, so considerhow you canfeelcomfortable and providethe space inyourdailyroutine.