What to Do to Make Working at Home More Comfortable
Some people prefer working from home, and they can’t imagine anything better than a day with their laptop wrapped in pajama pants. Others miss the structure and the casual talks with coworkers that happen at their offices. Working remotely — for those who can; not every job lends itself to this kind of flexibility — is typical for many of us due to the pandemic, whether you like it or not.
There's plenty of advice out there for folks new to working from home about how to avoid the traps and stay productive and sane (“Take a shower!”). “Avoid wasting too much time on social media!”
If you let it be, working from home may be a true pleasure. So here are some suggestions for setting up a workplace and developing routines that will make working from home a pleasurable and sustainable experience. And who knows what might happen? You might not even want to return to the office.
1. Find the right spot
Find the WFH location where you'll be most productive. If you live in a small apartment, you may not have many options, but you should find a place out of the way if you have a larger home. You'll want to choose a location that is free of potential distractions (such as a TV or all of the snacks) and has plenty of natural light.
2. Take care of your body
Jenn Armbrust outlines many principles in her book Proposals for the Feminine Economy, the first of which is: "You have a body." Although it may appear straightforward, working from home can make it easy to overlook your body's basic demands. You most likely have an ergonomic desk chair or an adjustable workstation at your office. However, unless you work from home regularly, your workspace may consist of a kitchen table and a basic chair.
You don't need to spend a lot of money on a full-fledged home office; instead, pay attention to how your body feels while working from home. Working from home has the advantage of allowing you to change positions more frequently than working in an office. Sitting on a chair, standing at your kitchen counter, lounging on the sofa, or sitting on a yoga block on the floor with your coffee table as a desk are all good options. It took me a long time (and a lot of shoulder strain) to understand that sitting on a backless bench at my dining table is the greatest position for lengthy writing stretches for me. Testing different positions can help you find physical ease faster.
Movement is something else to keep an eye on. In the course of an office workday, you probably walk a little — to and from the workplace from the train, bus, or parking lot, between meetings, to the café for more coffee — and these movement breaks vanish when everything you need is inside a few rooms in your home.
However, the freedom of homework allows you to move around when you choose. To break up a long email session, try setting a timer for a yoga or workout. When I was writing Joyful, I took unplanned dancing breaks whenever I was stuck on a piece, which will clear your thoughts but would have been difficult to do at work. At the end of each day, I began to take a long walk in the park.
3. Make your workspace more “green”
Adding plants to your desk is an easy way to make it more cheerful. Plants that struggle in the dim light of an office thrive at your home, and you get the bonus of being able to enjoy them while you're not working. You don’t have to have as many plants as Summer Rayne Oakes does in her home workspace, but even just adding a few has been shown to reduce stress and restore your ability to concentrate.
4. Make a “get to work” playlist
Transitions are one of the difficulties I've encountered while working from home. Stop performing all those household chores (like emptying the dishwasher and folding laundry) and get to work, especially if there's work you're avoiding. Many writers joke that when they're working on a book, their house is never cleaner.
Having a ritual that marks the start of a work session is one thing that can help. I have two “Get to Work” playlists that help me with writing and the other for email. Because the playlists consistently begin with the same music, it acts as an aural cue for me to concentrate.
Pouring a fresh cup of tea or coffee, stretching, or establishing a focus timer are some more transition options (You could use the Tide app on your phone).
Now that you can work comfortably from your home, you will feel more productive doing your tasks! And If you would like to learn more advice for any work-related topics, you could also consult with us! Also, follow us at Instagram @baikgp and @ayureadypodcast for more information and extra insights!