5 Tips For Working From Home

Many people are finding that they will be working from home for the foreseeable future and that kids will be doing virtual school for at least part of the upcoming school year. But, is your current home working for you and your family? A lot of people are frustrated by their limited workspace(s) as they transition to work and school from home. These 5 tips will help you improve your working from home experience.

It’s important that everyone working from home has a designated space for work, preferably with a door that can be closed. This will not only help you focus and work undisturbed, but it is also nice to be able to close the door and walk away when it’s time to take a break or stop for the day.

If you haven’t been working from home for long, you may not realize how easy it is to get burnt out. This may seem odd since you’re at home and perhaps working in your pj’s, but people often don’t realize how many little breaks they get at the office. Going to the break room or chatting with a co-worker can be both a distraction and a mental break even if we don’t realize it at the moment. If you’re working at an office, you also get to leave.

At home though, you’re ALWAYS AT THE OFFICE and always available.😩 It’s important to have boundaries, both physical and mental, where you can get a break so that you don’t suffer from burnout.

This is especially important for the social butterflies who may be struggling with loneliness while working from home. If you love dressing up, looking great, and interacting with people, you will benefit mentally and emotionally from turning on your camera and interacting visually with co-workers and friends.

Even if you don’t get dressed up like you’re going into the office, having some on-camera time with friends or co-workers can really help to stay sane. Try a Zoom happy hour or virtual water-cooler break. Just don’t forget you’re on camera and do something embarrassing.😬

Make sure your family and work are both aware of your calendar. Communicate your schedule so that everyone knows when you are available. If you need flexible time in the morning to help kids with schoolwork, make sure your employer and co-workers are aware of this. If you need to block off time for work every morning, make sure this is clear to your friends and family. If one interrupts the other, a friend keeps calling during work hours, for instance, don’t be afraid to ignore their calls or texts until later in the day when you are done with work.

Boundaries with the office are even more important in an era where we can work from our phones anywhere. For example, turn off work-related notifications to your phone. Having structure and boundaries and communicating those to your work and family will help you keep from getting burn out.

Plan to take breaks throughout your day to eat, stretch, and have a moment to yourself if needed. Set a timer if you need to, so you get up from your desk. Stretch, go outside, grab a healthy snack, pet the dog, or all of the above.

Consider coordinating with the other members of your household to take breaks at the same time. This can really help your home office have the same social benefits as a real office or school. At my house, we even get a cake or donuts occasionally and have a little “office” party.

Besides interacting with your household and co-workers, stay connected with your friends and family too. It’s important to stay social and check in with people, both for your own wellbeing and theirs.

When you work from home, it can actually be surprisingly easy to find yourself working every day and drifting away from people. However, even the most introverted among us 🙋‍♀️ need to interact with other humans (or at least a dog or cat).

Do you have a quiet place to work? What about your spouse and each of your kids? Having multiple people in a home workspace is not productive.

If your home isn’t working for yourself or your family, it’s time to find one that does. We have home buying specialists ready to help you determine your needs and search for the right home in Columbus, Ohio. For instance, need a home office AND a space for school? A home with an office and a bonus room or finished basement can offer you separate and flexible spaces for everyone to work and play at home.

Or, perhaps your current home just needs some tweaking to work better for your family. For instance, finishing a basement or walk-up attic can help your home better fit your needs and could add some serious value. We can connect you with professionals that can help. Let us know what improvements you’re thinking about, and we’ll let you know who can help.