3 min
A few months ago, we moved our workplaces into our homes with enthusiasm and a completely positive attitude. We believed that we would all be productive and easily combine our work with the often-delayed list of interesting tasks. A few months later though, we have realized that adapting to the new reality is far from easy. Yes, working from home may sound like a good idea, but the truth is it also hides a few risks...
Undoubtedly, getting used to WFH (work from home) takes time, but fortunately there are ways to speed up the process. And since we already have a desk, office chair and a modest amount of work experience from home, we can share what the most common mistakes are.
Working from 9 to 5
One of the first things we had to get used to was establishing our working hours, even at home. Switching to working mode is far easier when you start at the same time every day. But there is one small detail that can increase our productivity: changing our working hours. If your work in the office has so far been fixed for a certain period of time, now is the time to experiment. Feeling full of energy early in the morning? Set your work day between 6 am and 2 pm. Feel more inspired in the evening? No problem – “go” to work in the late afternoon and keep on going until late at night. When else will you have this opportunity?
No movement
It may sound like a cliché, but getting to your workplace used to account for a significant amount of your daily movement. Working at home, we are deprived of that. At the same time, we can easily get stuck to our chair and spend our whole day without any movement without even realizing it. The truth is that it is difficult to get out of this vicious circle and you can only do so with strong motivation. Set an alarm and get up every 2 hours for about 10 minutes. Is your day full of meetings? No problem, join them through your phone and go for a walk. And if you have your own yard, do not miss the opportunity to breathe some fresh air during your lunch break.
Lack of boundaries
Working from home can be a major challenge if we fail to set the right boundaries at home. So forget about working from the couch or bed! Let them remain the places for relaxation. Maybe you already have a separate work area where you feel limited or bored. Take a look around and find a new place to indulge in the creative part of your work. It is a good idea to have a beautiful view of the mountains to bring you peace and inspiration.
Distractions
It is a well-known fact that chaos raises stress levels. At home, this feeling can increase several times over – you constantly see the things you have put off for so long. But perhaps it could be more stressful to decide to replant those flowers precisely when you are chasing an important deadline? It would definitely be. Change things around by turning the housework you have been putting off into a reward for a job well done. This will motivate you to check off work tasks faster and you will feel more satisfied when you finish your household ones.
Social media
You only log in to Instagram for one notification and suddenly you’ve unwillingly lost 30 minutes of your day. There is hardly a person who is unfamiliar with such a situation. Social networks and mobile applications can easily distract you. The first step to dealing with this problem is… to admit that you get distracted. From now on, there are countless possibilities for setting boundaries. You can take a 15-minute afternoon break for social networks or chatting with friends. Or even download an app that blocks notifications and keeps track of your time online. Also, be sure to follow only topics and profiles that interest you.
