If you’re now going to be working from home full-time, you’ve got to get yourself set up for success in your space. And usually, this isn’t going to just naturally happen. Because of this, you’ve got to know what you need and what adjustments to make in order to create a productive and focused work area within your home.
To help you accomplish this, here are three ways to make sure that your home is set up for work-from-home success.
Create Morning And Afternoon Routines
When working from home, it can be hard to draw the line between work hours and off-work hours. Because of this, many people who work from home find it hard to really get going in the morning or turn work off at the end of the day.
One way you can overcome both of these issues, according to Regina Borsellino, a contributor to The Muse, is to create morning and afternoon routines that help you transition into work mode and then transition out of work mode. Some steps you might want to include in your routines could be getting out of the house for a short walk, watching a short video related to work, or doing a brief exercise. Whatever you can do to differentiate these times will help you be more productive during work hours and not let work hours bleed over into your free time.
Keep Your Home and Office Clean
If you’re not ever having to go into work and no one is ever having to come to your house on professional business, you might find that it’s easier to justify having a messy work space and living space. But to really be productive when working from home, it’s vital that you have clean spaces to work in.
While Andrea Lotz, a contributor to LifeHack.org, shares that you can be your own janitor, you could also hire someone to come in and clean occasionally to take this stress off your plate. Also, if you have other issues going on at home, like pest problems, make sure you get these things taken care of so they don’t become a distraction.
Find Time To Take Actual Breaks From Working
When you were working at an office, you may have found that you got up from your desk more often than you do when working from home. These small breaks to move and stretch were very important for your physical and mental health, so you should try to find ways to take more breaks from work when you’re at home, too.
Jill Duffy, a contributor to PCMag.com, recommends that you take a lunch break in the middle of the day and two other short breaks in the morning and afternoon. You really do need this time to rest, so make sure you prioritize these breaks.
If you want to be just as successful working from home as you were working from an office, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you get to this point.