5 ways to make working from home work for you
Many of us were forced to work from home – almost overnight – in the wake of COVID-19. We had to change the way we communicate, the way we engage, and manage our own productivity.
But for those of us who are able to work from home, there have been new upsides in the flexibility, non-commute and better work-life balance. Now 2 in 3 people say they’d choose to work from home at least one day a week if they could, research for SEEK has found.
With that in mind, career and interview coach Emily Manley shares her tips for getting the most out of working from home.
- Create the best workspace you can
Setting up a designated workspace helps to create healthy boundaries between work and home. “A nice environment to work in with few distractions is ideal if you can pull it off,” Manley says. Even if the best you can do is take over a table each day, a few adjustments can help you set yourself up in work mode.
Tips:
- Make sure you have all the technology you need to work effectively.
- Take advantage of any outside views.
- Don’t set yourself up in the middle of a thoroughfare.
- Put up some quotes or pictures, or play some relaxing music to keep you motivated.
- Set a routine and stick to it
As tempting as it may be to roll out of bed and onto your desk, it’s better to create (and maintain) a morning routine. This sets a clear start to your day and gives you a chance to plan and focus on the things that give you joy.
Tip: Start your day by doing something for you – going for a walk, doing some meditation, a home workout or sitting quietly with a coffee while you read the paper.
- Do what feels right for you
Manley says that it’s important to think about your ‘work from home style’ for checking in with your team – that is, how frequently and how you communicate. “Of course, you need to be a team player, but if the social Zooms are not for you or you don’t feel you need to be checking in several times a day, that’s okay,” she says.
Tip: Maintain open dialogue with your manager around your mental wellbeing and how the external environmental pressures may be affecting you.
- Build in regular breaks to avoid burnout
Manley is a huge advocate of taking purposeful and conscious breaks to maintain health and wellbeing, and to avoid ‘Zoom fatigue’. This means not hanging out the washing, preparing dinner or tending to children, but actually taking a break.
Tips: If you can, cut your meetings back to 45 minutes instead of an hour and use the 15 minutes that you save to compose your thoughts. Introduce walking meetings into your day instead of just video calls so you can get fresh air and move your body.
- Set realistic expectations (especially if you have kids)
Never before has it been so important to manage expectations. “By establishing, and communicating the boundaries early on you will be able to get through your week without feeling like you are letting everybody down – your kids, your boss, and most importantly yourself,” she says.
Tip: Speak to your manager and, where you can, shuffle your work hours or week around so that you carve out clear times to home school, look after your children, and work.
Whatever your situation and set up, small adjustments like these can help you to make the most of working from home – so you can have a more positive and productive experience while you do it.
Source: Independent research conducted by Nature on behalf of SEEK. Interviewing 4800 Australians annually.
