Many remote workers relish the idea of never having to enter traditional office spaces for work. One of the top reasons for that is the relaxed work schedule they get to create for themselves. Remote workers often get to begin work at hours that are convenient for them. Not to mention, breaks can be taken at their leisure...and let’s not forget the lack of dress code!
However, for many at-home workers, day-to-day life can get a bit lonely and monotonous. What steps can be taken to bring more excitement to working from home?
Interact with other humans.
For some at-home workers, isolation is a problem. Just because you’re working by yourself, it doesn’t mean you have to be by yourself. Be sure to engage in work meetings via video conferencing tools. Get on the phone to make a few personal calls as well. Of course, the key is to boost your morale and promote productivity – not to slack off. As Kayla Schilthuis-Ihrig notes on HubSpot.com, working from home can cause you to miss casual social interactions.
“When working from home, you don't have the small talk and other activities that make each day at the office unique,” he understands, “So what can you do? Communicate. Fight boredom and loneliness by frequent communication with other employees. Reach out to them through video chat via apps like Zoom and Slack or however else your company communicates.”
Dress for work.
It may sound like a simple or even a silly suggestion. However, getting dressed for work can help to put you in a more “professional” mindset. By rolling out of bed in your PJs and turning on the computer, you may be more prone to lazily approaching your job-related tasks. When you look the part, you can better play the part. As Caroline Castrillon points out on Forbes.com, clothes have a strong psychological impact on motivation when we work from home.
Quoting Dr. Karen Pine, a psychology professor at the University of Hertfordshire, Castrillon explains that dressing too casually can make us less focused. “A lot of clothing has symbolic meaning for us, whether it's 'professional work attire' or 'relaxing weekend wear,' so when we put it on, we prime the brain to behave in ways consistent with that meaning,” she quotes, “The bottom line: don't work from home in your pajamas.”
Be clear with family about your work hours.
Working from home means that you will be spending more time with your family. While this can certainly be seen as a benefit, it is integral to your job to not allow your loved ones to distract you. It’s wise to clearly communicate with your family members the hours between which you will be working. Request that you are not interrupted unless absolutely necessary. Be sure, of course, to take breaks, but allow your work time to be focused work time.
“Make sure any roommates, family members, and dogs (well, maybe not dogs) respect your space during work hours,” advises Schilthuis-Ihrig, “Just because you're working from home doesn't mean you're home. If you share space with another work-from-home adult, you may have to lay ground rules about meeting times, shared desks and chairs, and quiet times.”
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