The Dos and Don’ts of Working from Home
With the recent global pandemic causing a surge of work from home employment, followed by The Great Resignation, we have seen remote jobs increase at an incredible rate. In fact, some companies have even gone as far as to make their entire staff virtual, completely getting rid of an in-office work setting. With that, we have gathered some of the most important dos and don’ts for when you’re working at home!
Dos
Create a morning routine
Creating a morning routine is super important in establishing guidelines and an overall daily routine. It will help you feel a sense of productivity before you even start your workday.
Maintain regular hours
Make sure you set a schedule and stick to it. This will help you maintain a good work-life balance while working from your home.
Schedule breaks
Learn your company’s policy on break times and utilize them. Because you tend to be more sedentary when you are working from home make sure to stand up, walk around, and if you can – get some fresh air.
Ask your boss for what you need
If your company allows it, make sure to request the necessary equipment for you to be successful in a work-from-home role.
Keep a dedicated workspace
Whether it’s an office space or just a table or a desk, make sure to dedicate at least a small area of your home to your work.
Always use video on calls
Representing yourself is super important when you’re working in a virtual environment, it is one of the only times that your colleagues will see and talk directly with you. This serves as your “face to face” interaction and leaves lasting impressions.
Over-communicate
Because you aren’t working in an environment where you can see your coworkers, and have those smaller conversations, overcommunicating is super important in creating a general understanding surrounding work and expectations.
Check-in regularly
Make sure that you are checking in regularly and asking for feedback. Without face-to-face conversations, there can be a lack of communication sometimes and lead to a divide between the boss and employee.
Don’ts
Turn on the tv
If you find yourself needing some background noise, put on calming music or a white noise machine. Putting on the TV with a show that you know you may be distracted by is a bad idea and will keep you from being productive.
Wake up right before you need to log on
Waking up right before you need to log onto work will rush your morning and make you feel anxious. By setting a morning routine and easing into your workday you will be more productive and have a more successful day.
Forget to take your regular breaks
Sitting and staring at a computer screen all day can cause headaches, eye strain, body aches, and more. Making sure that you are getting up to stretch, taking a break, and regrouping throughout your day is vital for production and success.
Work in your pajamas
One of the perks of working at home is not having to get dressed and ready for the office every day but make sure that you are changing out of the clothes that you slept in. It’s a small task but super important in starting your day. And make sure that you are dressed appropriately to hop on a call at any time.
Scroll through social media
Try to avoid distractions as much as you can while working from home. One major distraction for most people often tends to be their social media. Often times once you start scrolling you look up and 20 minutes have gone by, don’t fall into that trap!
Work in your bedroom
Never work where you sleep! This is one of the biggest mistakes you could make while working from home. It will keep you from being productive, make you tired, and serve as a distraction.
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