Tips for Working From Home

Many of us are just now learning how to successfully work from home. The most important thing to remember is to create boundaries between your work life and your home life.

If you've never worked from home before, we've got a few tips and tricks to help.

Create a workspace.

Ideally, your workspace would be a separate room or area from the rest of your apartment. However, in smaller apartments, extra space for a workstation isn't always feasible. Set up on your dining table, use a small table in your bedroom, or just make use of your coffee table and a laptop. Wherever you choose to set up, ensure you are able to sit comfortably and that you can easily pack up or move away from your workspace at the end of the day. 

Follow your normal routine.

Get into the right mindset for your workday by waking up at the usual time, showering, and getting dressed. Eat your breakfast and make a cup of coffee to take to your workspace, or whatever you would normally do if you were on your way to the office. Following a routine will help you put in proper hours, feel a sense of normalcy, and be more productive. 

Stick to your schedule.

Work regular hours and remember to take breaks. If you normally work from 9am to 5pm, start and stop at the same times while working from home. Set a timer to remind you to take regular breaks and to stop working for lunch. Step away from your workspace to stretch and relax. 

Manage your home life.

Working with children home is difficult. Be transparent with your employer and let them know you have children at home. Having a stop and a go sign that you can put up by your workspace will help young children understand when it is and isn't okay to interrupt you. If your partner is also working from home, try taking turns supervising children that need hands on care.

Signal the end of your workday.

Before, you had a commute to and from work to help transition from home to work and back again. Now that many of us are home every day, it's important to still provide that transition for your brain. When your work hours are over, go for a walk or do an indoor physical activity. This will provide a signal to your brain and help you transition back to home life.