Working remotely is still a reality for many workers today, and educating yourself on what to know when you start working from home will help you succeed.
Even now, more than a year into the Covid-19 pandemic, remote work can still be a new experience for many people. It can be a strange and alienating circumstance when your previous work had you in a physical location. The mentality can be different, but being prepared with what to know when you start working from home can help eliminate some of the issues with motivation you may be feeling.
Maintain Your Morning Routine
The most important thing you can do for yourself is to maintain a sense of normality in your life during a time of change. When it comes to work, don’t stop doing what you normally do to prepare yourself in the morning. Whether it’s taking a shower, getting dressed, having a full breakfast, or doing some light exercises, keeping up with your typical routine can you keep up your mentality to work as usual.
Dress for the Occasion
While many people have chosen to adopt a more casual and relaxed outfit for working at home, it can help to dress professionally when first starting out. Getting dressed up can have an effect on your mentality and how you treat a situation, which makes wearing your typical work outfit a good way of easing yourself into remote work.
Have a Dedicated Work Area
In the same vein as getting dressed up for remote work, having a specific area in your home geared towards work can help you focus throughout the day. Having a home office can keep you organized, where you can have a central hub to store all relevant work documents, equipment, and information.
Set Yourself Up for Success
Make sure that you design your office in a way to facilitate a productive workday, whether that be stocking up on essential equipment or eliminating distractions. Avoid the mistakes others have made when setting up their offices for the first time; there are many trappings that first-time remote workers make during initial set up.
Don’t Be Afraid To Take a Break
Arguably one of the most important things you should know while working from home is that you still need to take breaks. It can be easy to fall into the mentality that you don’t need a break while working from home because just by being at home, you can feel as though you’re not really at work. But you are still working, and you need that break to give yourself time to decompress and mentally prepare yourself for the remainder of the day.
Give It Time
It takes time to acclimate yourself to a new working environment—even if that environment is your own home. Understand that this is a strange experience for many people and that it will take time to find your own workflow.
