10 Tips to Improve Your Work from Home Transition
♥
Written by: Melody Lipford
Artwork by: Kirsty ho, @kirstyho
While we all are getting used to our new normal of staying at home with our loved ones and family members, we also have another new normal to face if we are lucky– which is working from home. To some, it is a privilege to work from home, however it does not diminish the transitional challenges many individuals face during this time.
Adjusting to this new work at home lifestyle has allowed me to pick up some useful tips to help make my time working from home more manageable.
Here are my ten best tips to help make your transition to working at home a bit smoother too!
Work Mode Mindset
Realize you need to be in work mode. I know this seems like a given, but I found during my first few days of working from home I was nearly in shock from the whole concept. I knew I’d be working from home, but maintaining motivation to do it while being in my home environment seemed like an unusual, but timely shift I was required to make. It took time for me to realize that I would need to transport my work mindset out of the office and into my new work space at home.
Designated Work Space
Establish a set work space. Many of us will not have the ability to set up the same office or environment we have at work. However, it is important to create a setup that helps you separate work activities from your home life activities. This will look different for everyone, so don’t feel the pressure to go out and purchase a whole new office or desk setup to feel productive. All you need is a designated space to house your work equipment in a room away from other people if possible. Make sure you have decent lighting for video meetings and an appropriate background, so your meeting presentation looks professional.
It also helps to create a focused space with minimal outside distractions. If a quiet space is not possible, ensure you have noise canceling headphones on hand, and some non-distracting music readily available on your playlist. My favorite go to’s for getting in work mode are classical, instrumental, and lo-fi beats.
Morning Routine
The first few days working from home may feel like a vacation from your normal work environment. However, to continue to do the work you normally do you need a routine you can follow to help you keep your productivity on schedule.
..change out of last night’s pajamas to help you feel reset for a new day of work.
Make sure you get plenty of sleep, set an alarm before going to bed, have breakfast (if you normally do), get some water (probably coffee too) to stay hydrated, at least brush your hair (or a few beauty/hygiene steps to make you feel more awake– lotion, face wash, brush your teeth), and at least change out of last night’s pajamas to help you feel reset for a new day of work.
Try to follow the same routine patterns as closely as you had at your office work if possible. It will help you stay productive and mentally help you maintain some stability to separate work from home.
Preplanned Tasks
This is a step that I did not realize how important it would become until my second week working from home. Your first week working from home requires an initial mind-shift, but eventually you will still need to accomplish your tasks just like you would during a normal day at the office or workplace.
I recently bought a to-do list stationary pad, and now it has become my new best asset in my day-to-day work from home life. I’ve made a habit of writing my top three to five tasks I need to accomplish for the day and I always schedule a midday lunch break.
Setting up a simple system has done wonders for my productivity while also balancing the amount of time I spend on work. There are some days where I don’t complete all my tasks, but I move that to the next day and stop after my eight hour shift. It’s a challenge to balance it all, but setting boundaries are even more necessary when you work from home.
Schedule Set Break Times
As I mentioned previously about scheduling a lunch break into my to-do list, I also make time for breakfast, dinner, and snacks. Granted, I’m not planning every meal down to the second , but I am more intentional with self-care and making sure I’m getting the nutrition I need in the new work environment I’m in.
As a perfectionist, I tend to hyper focus on tasks sometimes and I forget to take care of myself. while balancing everything else. Once I began noticing this pattern, I researched a few easy breakfast ideas and bought some quick, but healthy options for when I don’t have time to cook an elaborate meal. Personally, I’ve found that making a simple yogurt fruit bowl with some cinnamon and caramel can feel like a big breakfast to get me going in the morning. If I don’t feel like doing that, then a simple nutrition bar can easily do the trick until lunch time.
It’s all about finding a balance that works best for you in your new space.
It’s all about finding a balance that works best for you in your new space. What is the easiest breakfast you can make for yourself? What is a breakfast you can make when you want to treat yourself? Finding out what works for you is worth it when it comes to creating the environment suitable for you to give you the energy and space to help you be your best.
Balance Screen Time
I was so bad at taking time to get off the screen during my first few weeks working from home. I was so afraid of making mistakes in my new work from home environment that I overdid my screen time way more than normal.
Now with the help of loved ones, I’ve made time for family walks, learned how to fish, spray paint and decorate river rocks, and even plant a vegetable garden. Taking these breaks after work or on the weekends has renewed my sense of being present with not only nature, but with the people who matter to me the most.
I didn’t realize how imbalanced my work from home life was until I was forced to do both at the same time. While working from home is harder than I thought, I’m so grateful for how it has forced me to be present and realize the blessings in front of me.
Combat Perfectionism
Any fellow perfectionists in the house!? If you’re like me, then the thought of stopping a work day before you complete all the tasks on your to do list may freak you out.
I experienced these feelings during my first few weeks from working from home and I believe it got on everyone’s nerves in my household. My family simply wanted to spend time with me. I was so stressed about working from home that I let the balance tilt and made my work a higher priority than those who love me the most. I even noticed after a while and it made me feel frustrated, so I knew I had to make a change for my mindset on working from home.
Work Life Balance
My new take on working from home included adding hobbies or activities I used to love.
My past self would be so sad if I had known I would have let one of my favorite hobbies go by the wayside.
While I don’t have time to do anything elaborate like write a book, I have enjoyed reading them! I did not realize how many unread books I had lying around until I began working from home! I used to love reading, and majored in English in college. However, since my first year out of college, I have barely read a single book! My past self would be so sad if I had known I would have let one of my favorite hobbies go by the wayside.
Are there any hobbies you loved doing when you were younger? Simple activities that brought you joy and an escape as a child is a small way you can bring some light to your day and balance the more stressful parts of your life.
Hobbies are activities you love doing with or without pay! So don’t forget to incorporate them into your day to help reconnect with yourself and your interests. It will surely improve your work from home life to create more balance.
Stay Connected
Spend time connecting with present friends and reconnecting with old ones.
Eventually, I started to feel like a robot.
Working from home can make you feel pretty isolated if you’re not careful. I noticed this not long after I started working from home in my room. Hours would pass by and I would type the day away. Whether it was tending to emails, research, writing, meetings, making posts for social media, among other work tasks. Eventually, I started to feel like a robot. I woke up, typed, went to bed, and woke up the next day to complete the same routine.
I had to find some balance and I still work on improving it on a daily basis.
Reaching out to friends from college as well as reconnecting with old friends from high school has helped me find some balance in my new work from home life. Whether through Facebook messenger, phone calls, texts, or other forms of social media– I have been able to connect with friends I don’t see regularly and catch up with old friends. It has reminded me that life is short and it is so important to check in on our friends from time to time.
Today’s modern world has taught us how to be busy, but has made us forget how to slow down, enjoy life, and connect with others who bring us true joy, laughter, and a sense of genuine connection. This has helped me feel more emotionally and socially balanced and ready to tackle my work day.
Maintain Regular Working Hours
All in all, your life has to have some level of balance. This doesn’t mean perfect meal planning, curating perfect workout playlists, buying a new home office, or the opposite-waking up at noon, eating chips, and starting work when you feel like it. The balance you need from your new work from home life simply has to be what is right for you.
10 Tips to Improve Your Work from Home Transition
♥
Written by: Melody Lipford
Artwork by: Kirsty Ho (@kirstyho)
While we all are getting used to our new normal of staying at home with our loved ones and family members, we also have another new normal to face if we are lucky– which is working from home. To some, it is a privilege to work from home, however it does not diminish the transitional challenges many individuals face during this time.
Adjusting to this new work at home lifestyle has allowed me to pick up some useful tips to help make my time working from home more manageable.
Here are my ten best tips to help make your transition to working at home a bit smoother too!
Work Mode Mindset
Realize you need to be in work mode. I know this seems like a given, but I found during my first few days of working from home I was nearly in shock from the whole concept. I knew I’d be working from home, but maintaining motivation to do it while being in my home environment seemed like an unusual, but timely shift I was required to make. It took time for me to realize that I would need to transport my work mindset out of the office and into my new work space at home.
Designated Work Space
Establish a set work space. Many of us will not have the ability to set up the same office or environment we have at work. However, it is important to create a setup that helps you separate work activities from your home life activities. This will look different for everyone, so don’t feel the pressure to go out and purchase a whole new office or desk setup to feel productive. All you need is a designated space to house your work equipment in a room away from other people if possible. Make sure you have decent lighting for video meetings and an appropriate background, so your meeting presentation looks professional.
It also helps to create a focused space with minimal outside distractions. If a quiet space is not possible, ensure you have noise canceling headphones on hand, and some non-distracting music readily available on your playlist. My favorite go to’s for getting in work mode are classical, instrumental, and lo-fi beats.
Morning Routine
The first few days working from home may feel like a vacation from your normal work environment. However, to continue to do the work you normally do you need a routine you can follow to help you keep your productivity on schedule.
..change out of last night’s pajamas to help you feel reset for a new day of work.
Make sure you get plenty of sleep, set an alarm before going to bed, have breakfast (if you normally do), get some water (probably coffee too) to stay hydrated, at least brush your hair (or a few beauty/hygiene steps to make you feel more awake– lotion, face wash, brush your teeth), and at least change out of last night’s pajamas to help you feel reset for a new day of work.
Try to follow the same routine patterns as closely as you had at your office work if possible. It will help you stay productive and mentally help you maintain some stability to separate work from home.
Preplanned Tasks
This is a step that I did not realize how important it would become until my second week working from home. Your first week working from home requires an initial mind-shift, but eventually you will still need to accomplish your tasks just like you would during a normal day at the office or workplace.
I recently bought a to-do list stationary pad, and now it has become my new best asset in my day-to-day work from home life. I’ve made a habit of writing my top three to five tasks I need to accomplish for the day and I always schedule a midday lunch break.
Setting up a simple system has done wonders for my productivity while also balancing the amount of time I spend on work. There are some days where I don’t complete all my tasks, but I move that to the next day and stop after my eight hour shift. It’s a challenge to balance it all, but setting boundaries are even more necessary when you work from home.
Schedule Set Break Times
As I mentioned previously about scheduling a lunch break into my to-do list, I also make time for breakfast, dinner, and snacks. Granted, I’m not planning every meal down to the second , but I am more intentional with self-care and making sure I’m getting the nutrition I need in the new work environment I’m in.
As a perfectionist, I tend to hyper focus on tasks sometimes and I forget to take care of myself. while balancing everything else. Once I began noticing this pattern, I researched a few easy breakfast ideas and bought some quick, but healthy options for when I don’t have time to cook an elaborate meal. Personally, I’ve found that making a simple yogurt fruit bowl with some cinnamon and caramel can feel like a big breakfast to get me going in the morning. If I don’t feel like doing that, then a simple nutrition bar can easily do the trick until lunch time.
It’s all about finding a balance that works best for you in your new space.
It’s all about finding a balance that works best for you in your new space. What is the easiest breakfast you can make for yourself? What is a breakfast you can make when you want to treat yourself? Finding out what works for you is worth it when it comes to creating the environment suitable for you to give you the energy and space to help you be your best.
Balance Screen Time
I was so bad at taking time to get off the screen during my first few weeks working from home. I was so afraid of making mistakes in my new work from home environment that I overdid my screen time way more than normal.
Now with the help of loved ones, I’ve made time for family walks, learned how to fish, spray paint and decorate river rocks, and even plant a vegetable garden. Taking these breaks after work or on the weekends has renewed my sense of being present with not only nature, but with the people who matter to me the most.
I didn’t realize how imbalanced my work from home life was until I was forced to do both at the same time. While working from home is harder than I thought, I’m so grateful for how it has forced me to be present and realize the blessings in front of me.
Combat Perfectionism
Any fellow perfectionists in the house!? If you’re like me, then the thought of stopping a work day before you complete all the tasks on your to do list may freak you out.
I experienced these feelings during my first few weeks from working from home and I believe it got on everyone’s nerves in my household. My family simply wanted to spend time with me. I was so stressed about working from home that I let the balance tilt and made my work a higher priority than those who love me the most. I even noticed after a while and it made me feel frustrated, so I knew I had to make a change for my mindset on working from home.
Work Life Balance
My new take on working from home included adding hobbies or activities I used to love.
My past self would be so sad if I had known I would have let one of my favorite hobbies go by the wayside.
While I don’t have time to do anything elaborate like write a book, I have enjoyed reading them! I did not realize how many unread books I had lying around until I began working from home! I used to love reading, and majored in English in college. However, since my first year out of college, I have barely read a single book! My past self would be so sad if I had known I would have let one of my favorite hobbies go by the wayside.
Are there any hobbies you loved doing when you were younger? Simple activities that brought you joy and an escape as a child is a small way you can bring some light to your day and balance the more stressful parts of your life.
Hobbies are activities you love doing with or without pay! So don’t forget to incorporate them into your day to help reconnect with yourself and your interests. It will surely improve your work from home life to create more balance.
Stay Connected
Spend time connecting with present friends and reconnecting with old ones.
Eventually, I started to feel like a robot.
Working from home can make you feel pretty isolated if you’re not careful. I noticed this not long after I started working from home in my room. Hours would pass by and I would type the day away. Whether it was tending to emails, research, writing, meetings, making posts for social media, among other work tasks. Eventually, I started to feel like a robot. I woke up, typed, went to bed, and woke up the next day to complete the same routine.
I had to find some balance and I still work on improving it on a daily basis.
Reaching out to friends from college as well as reconnecting with old friends from high school has helped me find some balance in my new work from home life. Whether through Facebook messenger, phone calls, texts, or other forms of social media– I have been able to connect with friends I don’t see regularly and catch up with old friends. It has reminded me that life is short and it is so important to check in on our friends from time to time.
Today’s modern world has taught us how to be busy, but has made us forget how to slow down, enjoy life, and connect with others who bring us true joy, laughter, and a sense of genuine connection. This has helped me feel more emotionally and socially balanced and ready to tackle my work day.
Maintain Regular Working Hours
All in all, your life has to have some level of balance. This doesn’t mean perfect meal planning, curating perfect workout playlists, buying a new home office, or the opposite-waking up at noon, eating chips, and starting work when you feel like it. The balance you need from your new work from home life simply has to be what is right for you.
About author: Melody lipford
I grew up in the United States, specifically in the Appalachian Mountains. I grew up with humble beginnings and always strived to be the first one in my family to graduate college. As a recent college graduate of Emory & Henry College, it is safe to say I achieved that goal.
However, my adolescence and college years were not free of anxiety and depression that comes not only with that goal, but also were mental illnesses I had suffered from since childhood. Through it all, I have learned self-care and have strived to use my love of writing to break the stigmas that encompass such a common subject such as mental health.
I look forward to doing this at Home of Passion and invite readers to start this discussion in their own lives. Let’s end the stigma together.
About author: Melody Lipford
I grew up in the United States, specifically in the Appalachian Mountains. I grew up with humble beginnings and always strived to be the first one in my family to graduate college. As a recent college graduate of Emory & Henry College, it is safe to say I achieved that goal.
However, my adolescence and college years were not free of anxiety and depression that comes not only with that goal, but also were mental illnesses I had suffered from since childhood. Through it all, I have learned self-care and have strived to use my love of writing to break the stigmas that encompass such a common subject such as mental health.
I look forward to doing this at Home of Passion and invite readers to start this discussion in their own lives. Let’s end the stigma together.
