Many people are approaching or have already hit the first anniversary of an unexpected remote working experiment. Most didn’t have an appropriate remote working set-up already in place, but they also didn’t know how long they’d be working from home, so it wasn’t clear whether investing in changes made sense.
Your space probably wasn’t optimized for working from home, but if it’s become clear that you’ll be continuing to use it that way for a while, you can change that. Many companies are now transitioning to permanent remote or hybrid models. If your organization is among those, now is an excellent time to make sure your work from home experience is as pleasant as possible.
Switch Out Art & Decor
Looking at the same posters, paintings, or decorations can start to get old, especially if you’re already spending more time than usual inside. There’s no reason you can’t mix it up! Try using colors proven to be intellectually stimulating, soothing, or inspiring in your decor.
You can even make your redecoration seasonal by freshening things up for spring. If your morale is lagging, a simple change in decor could give you the boost you need.
Re-Think Your Menu
Your diet is built through habits and routines. In the past, part of that routine may have been planning for meals far from your fridge. Now that you work right around the corner from the pantry, keeping a healthy routine can be challenging.
Food is an essential source of energy and health for your body and mind. The right diet can keep your body and mind functioning at optimum levels. Balancing your diet means getting the appropriate nutrients, in the correct quantities, at times that make sense for your lifestyle and needs. To make sure you stick to your diet at home, you can set a timer to schedule meals and try meal-prepping or investing in meal kits.
Address Any Tech Issues
If you’ve been putting off dealing with an annoying tech issue for a while because you thought the situation was temporary, it’s time to address it. It will make your life and work easier. Some DIY and home-troubleshoot issues you can handle yourself, like updating your apps and your device’s operating system and boosting our WiFi signal.
However, for more significant issues, or if you’re just too overwhelmed, you can also simply search “computer repair near me” and find a qualified professional to help.
Consider Upgrading Devices
Your work’s quality and efficiency rely on the tools you use. Depending on your position and the tasks you handle, you may need devices that are more efficient or run on newer software and meet updated specifications. This could mean a new computer, printer, tablet, and so on.
Before purchasing any new equipment, you should check with your company for any tech guidelines that your devices must meet. They also may offer a stipend for work-related purchases, shared services, or even company devices to help you work from home.
Pay Attention to Posture
Most people’s work environments this past year have been less than optimal. You’re sitting on the sofa instead of in a desk chair or maybe even working from bed. Perhaps you’ve been forced to use the kitchen as a conference room.
The non-ideal work situations many people have ended up dealing with often result in poor posture and all its attendant health risks. In addition to back and neck pain, you can suffer from incontinence and constipation due to improper pressure on your stomach, bladder, and pelvic floor.
You can improve your posture by buying a better desk and chair for your home office, and you can even purchase a standing desk if you like to work on your feet. Exercise and stretching can also improve your core muscle strength and flexibility.
Re-Evaluate Your Work-Life Balance
Any smaller changes may be hard to implement if you still haven’t designed a routine for yourself. Talk with your coworkers about what’s worked best for them—just because you’re not working in person doesn’t mean you can’t collaborate. You can also talk with the other members of your household about their routines, what is and isn’t working for everyone, and how you can all make things work better together.
To balance work and life at home, you can create schedules and boundaries. Setting clear times when housemates leave you to work will reduce interruptions, and designating a specific work area or room will also create a productive space that people know to avoid during work hours. This will also help your brain differentiate between when it’s time to work and when it’s time to play, relax, or binge an entire season of your favorite show.
At Least for Now, Your Situation Is No Longer Temporary
Many companies realize that the work-from-home situation that initially seemed detrimental has many significant benefits. Some are even planning to continue the arrangement, at least for the foreseeable future.
As long as you make the right moves to settle into your space, you can make working from home beneficial for you as well.
