One of the few upsides of the pandemic was how many of us started to work from home. While it was great in the beginning, things can get a little boring after a while. Though many of us drag our feet in the morning, struggling to get up so early and hit the city traffic to make it to an office, there are some upsides to a routine outing. Here are some things you do to live the best of both worlds working from home:
Respect Your Biological Clock
Yes part of the charm of this new arrangement is that you do not need to get up at 6 AM every weekday, but there is a benefit to a morning routine. Make it 10 AM if you want to but try to maintain a somewhat consistent schedule, and one where you are up during the day and sleep when it is dark out. One of the easiest pitfalls is to turn nocturnal while you work from home, especially if your daily tasks do not involve collaborations with others, you might find yourself completing your solo projects in the middle of the night. This might take a toll on your general well being and happiness.
Go Outside
This might seem like a no brainer but there will be times when you will need to be reminded to go out. Going out for a walk, to a nearby park, a coffeeshop, even to run some errands will get you moving and out in the sun. This is also a great excuse to get out of the sweatpants that you have been wearing for an undisclosed number of days now.
Separate Home & Work
It may sound a little counterintuitive but working from home might turn your normally relaxing home environment into a 24/7 office. It helps to designate a specific work area. You may not have an entire room to turn into an office, but even a corner will do. Put up some decorative personal touches like you would if you had a desk in an actual office setting. You might not always stick to your work corner but having a designated space will help you not always feel at work when at home.
If all else fails, take a break. Take some time off between projects. Reward yourself in whatever way is feasible for you. Even with just some chips and a favorite movie, set aside that time intentionally as a "day off" or mini vacation at home. Do not think about or do any work related things. You will be back at it soon enough and performing even better than before!
