Structure and casual conversationsand casual chats with colleagues atthe office.The structure and the casual chats with coworkers that happen at their offices.hate it, working remoteonly for those who are able to manageit,not all jobs lend themselvesto thistype of flexibilitywhich is the norm for a large portionpeople due tothepandemic.
If you’reunfamiliar with working from home There’s plenty of informationout there about how tomanage the risksand remain productive and calm(“Takethe time to wash!” “Don’t spend toolong on social media.”!”).
But from my own experience working from home couldbean absolute delightif you letit.That’s why I’d like you to readsome ideas to createyour workspace and routines whichcanallow working from home to bean enjoyable, lasting experience.What’s more, who knows?You may notever want to return tothe office!
1.Maintain your health
In her book, Proposalsfor the FeminineEconomy,Jenn Armbrust Städfirma i Göteborg offers a seriesofconcepts, the most basicmost important one is”Youpossess a body.”It sounds simple however, working fromhome can cause youtoforget aboutyour body’s needs.When you worked at your office there’s a good chance you’ve haddesk chairs that were ergonomic oranadjustable workstation.If, however, you workat home a lot your workspace might consistof a kitchen table , andbasic chairs.
You don’t have to investon a whole office set-up instead, pay attentiontohow your body feelsduring your work hours athome. Onebenefit ofworkingfrom home –instead of working inan office space — isthat you are able to change positionsoften.Try out lots of postures fromsitting inthe chair, standing atthe counter in your kitchen, sittingonyour sofa or sittingon a yogablockon the floor withyour coffee table asan office. It took mequite a while(andan awful amount ofshoulderpain)before I realizedthat themost comfortable position forlong writing exercises for meisto siton a bench with no back atmy dining table.The practice of experimenting with different positions can helpyouto find your comfort level faster.
Anotherimportant thing to consideristhe movement.It is likely that you will walkthroughout anoffice workday– from your workplacefrom the train or busorparking lot, in betweenmeetings,and to the caféfor more coffee –and those breaks are often lostonce everything you requireis withinthe confines of a fewroomsin your house. When I firstbeganworkingfrom home, Iwas surprised to find thatIoften walked lessthan1,000 steps perday!
Theease of working from homemeans, though, thatyou are free to move at any timeyou’d like.Try setting a clock forexercises or yogato break upan extendedemailconversation.When I wasmaking my first bookJoyful I made impromptubreaks to dance whenever I wasstuck ona section, which cleared my headbut could have been hardtodo in a workplace. I alsostarted to takelong walks inthe parkat the end of everyday. Inthehot summer months, I’d typethelatest draft and takethe paper with me. I would then sitin the shade while writingthe page. Inthewinter, I’d draw iton the kitchen counterwhen I returnedhome.
2.Make the most of your commute
What was the length ofyourpre-pandemic daily commute? For many, it can range between30 minutes totwohours(or more) in a round trip everyday.It’s a great way to add up. Even at thelow end at 30 minutesper day adds up totwo and aquarter hoursyou’ve now gained eachweek!
The key is being intentionalin how you make use of thattime.In your calendarbut it doesn’t havetooccur at the sametime of your commutethe same way you would schedulea meeting.
You could also block thattime for free leisure time, unstructured and free, somethingpeople don’t often getenough of.But then make sure toset your tools aside whenyou hear the alert on your calendarandallow yourself the time tobe a part of it.
3. Createan immersive landscape
With Flyttstädning i Göteborgboring color palettes artificial carpets, hum-suckingHVAC systems, manyoffice spaces are a depressingsensory environment.In addition, the noise ofopen-plan seating, and thereality that many workplacesare usually too cold orhot, andthe standardoffice isn’t the most pleasanttospend time in and even harder to geton work.
Although many of usperceive the issue as being overstimulation office spacesare equally likely tobe understimulating.Workspaces have traditionally been designedbased on the beliefthatto maximize productivity , youmust minimize distractions,leaving bland, uninterestingareas.However, research has shownthat whenpeople in these”lean”workspacesare compared with those workingin “enriched”environments that featureflowers, artwork,and more stimuli for the senses The workers who work inspace that is enriched are 15 percentmore productive.If theyhave the control over the positioningofthings within their workspace? They’re33percentmore productive.
If you are workingat home, it’s possible tobecome like the peoplein thestudywho managed their work spaceto createan experience that worksfor you.Some of this might meaneliminating unpleasant feelings, for example byusing noise-cancelling headsets to blockout distractions, or alteringthe temperature so that it’ssuitable for your needs.
Additionally, you should look forways tointroduce pleasant emotionsto your workspace.Display an image thatwill give your eyes something tobe a part of while you gazeaway from your screen. Play nature sounds.Select a brightly colored mugto enjoy your morning cup ofcoffee.
Thesensual senses of smell, touch, andarenotably neglectedin the time we’re tinkeringat the keyboard,so try to find waystodraw them in. Forexample, I cover the benchwhich I am sitting on when I writewith a woolen cloth, whichhas a distinctively non-office-liketexture. I keepthe essential oils in a bottleon my desk. I alsosometimes I use a diffuserfragrance the air.
4.Have a blast of sunshine
One poorly designed aspect ofmany traditional workplaces is howlittle daylight exposure is availablein the workspaces.For most employees, themost lightcomes from the dull fluorescentshanging overhead.Yet research shows that workerswho are exposed to moredaylight get better sleep(upup to 46 extra minutespernight), areless stressed andmore activethroughoutthedaytime.Light regulates key hormones andneurotransmitters, influencingeverything from our alertness,stress levels in our immune system as well asour moods.
In your home, it is possible tocan have greater control over whereyou decide to work When you have the option,pick a location nearwindows.Ifthere’s not muchnatural light in your space Utilize lamps to boostthebrightness.Just as too muchlighting from blue screenscanmake us sleepyall night, a regulardose of bright and artificiallight during the day canassist in keeping our 24-hourinternal kontorsstadning i Göteborg clocks in tune.
Also, ifyouused to travelto work, it is likely that yougot at least a littlesunlight on the way however, you’ll be missing outIf you are now rushinginto work early.Light has the most significant impactupon our circadian cycleearly inthemorning, so trytogo outside forjust a short walkbefore you get in bed.
5. Green yourwork space
A simple wayfor making your workspacemore joyful is to addgreenery.Plants that strugglein the dim lightsof an office canthriveat home, andyou also get the added benefitthat you can enjoy themwhen you’re not working aswell.There’s no need to ownthe same number of plants asSummer Rayne Oakes does in herliving space Even addingsome has been proventorelieve stress and enhancethe ability to focus.
6.Createa”getworking” playlist
One problem I’ve faced whilebeing at home from work istransitions.It’s often difficulttoquit doing thosedomestic chores(emptying the dishwasher, folding laundry, etc.)and start working when there’s workyou’re avoiding.Some writerssay that their house isnever tidier than when they’rewriting a novel.
Another thing that can help ishaving aritual to helpshift into a work session. I havetwo”Geton withWork” playliststhat can help withthis: onefor writing or email, and one that is for writing.The playlists always startwith the same tune as it ismusic that triggersme toconcentrate.
Other ideas for transitions includedrinking a cup of freshcoffee or tea. You could also try doingsome quick stretchingor settingthe timer to focus(Iusefor this theTidesoftwareon myphone).
7.The snack hour should be special
The majority of guidebooks for work from homeadvise you to eatthe time to eat a proper lunch, howeverI have to admit that when I’mactive, Ipreferto eatwhile at work.This doesn’t mean thatI don’t believe intaking breakshowever.As I said earlier The most important benefitsofbreaks for me isfor me to get outdoors andincorporate movement into my day.
I alsolike a goodsnack break.Many of us think of snacksas fuel, but for me,they’re more a treat.Also, as the writerGretchen Rubin has pointed out that sweets can helpus feel loved energetic, stimulated and motivated.Access to your personalkitchen is a good thing because you don’tneed to usethe processed foods that make upan office snack as well as havingtoeat it straight frombags.
I’ma huge loverof cuttingup fruitsandplacing it inwheels around my plate as well as making little samplingplatesfrom my fridge filled withpickles, olivesand othernibbles. Icreate energy balls orbanana bread and put it in the freezerto havefor a snack during the week.Your office is yourstoday, so think aboutwhat makes youfeelgood about yourself and makeroom inyourdailyroutine.
