The lines between home and work are more blended than ever. While there are many benefits to working from the comfort of home—no commute, flexibility, perceived productivity increase and more—these blurred boundaries make it challenging to determine what is and what isn’t working in your work-from-home (WFH) routine, especially when each day may feel the same.
Establishing boundaries within your work/home space is a key component to ensuring you find the balance you need to stay healthy both mentally and physically. Here are a few ways to ensure you maximize your WFH situation for you or your team.
Designate a workspace
Create a space in your home or apartment specifically for work. Whether you reserve a sunny corner of your living room or dedicate a room, make sure you have a space with an ergonomic set-up to be successful.
Place your monitor or laptop at a comfortable position for you. Consider a monitor arm for lifting one or two screens to the right height and distance from your eyes. The tilt feature will help reduce any glare, and the monitor arm will free up more desk space.
A quality height-adjustable desk will also help keep you comfortable and focused. This could be a sit-stand desk converter that sits on top of an existing desk or table or a mobile desk that rolls to wherever you want to work in that moment.
Our helpful guide for choosing a standing desk will help you decide what set-up is right for you.
Have a routine
Establish a routine that is consistent, calming and fun to ensure your day starts and ends in the best way for you. From dedicated work hours to meditation breaks, be advantageous with your time to make the biggest difference and impact on your day.
According to the Society of Human Resources Professionals, the most challenging part of WFH is unplugging after work hours. Stick to your established work hours and turn off your computer when your time is up to prevent late-night check-ins.
Extra tip: Ensure your routine complements your day and incorporates things that make you happy. A monotonous routine is tough and doesn’t help your overall mental capacity.
Get outside
A walk can reset the mood and balance of your day. Walking in nature can help you clear your mind after a tough call or inspire new ideas. Don’t have time for a walk? Step outside and take a few deep breaths with your eyes closed to feel more refreshed.
Adding movement to your WFH routine will help keep you energized and productive, especially when you’re missing out on extra steps you usually get in the office, like walking to the cafeteria or a conference room.
Safely co-work
Human interaction is perhaps the most-missed component of the WFH lifestyle and one that can infringe on your creativity and overall mental well-being. Find a co-worker who you can safely work with (even from a short distance) and tackle the day together. Changing up the day-to-day can help breathe new life into your WFH schedule and help make work hours feel more manageable.
Lack of social interaction matched with chronic stress among remote workers can lead to burnout. These tips from the Harvard Business Review, matched with our WFH boundaries, are a great place to start or reshape your current situation.
The WFH or hybrid home-office lifestyle is here to stay. Committing to a comfortable home office can help you manage your work-life balance and make working from home work for you.
