As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, many Australian workers have been thrust into working from home for the first time.
By putting in place some systems and boundaries, you can help make the best of the situation, get your work done and maintain your mental wellbeing.
1. Designate a workspace or home office
If you are used to going into an office every day, then the separation between work and home is physical. You need to try and recreate this as much as possible, with a designated workspace in your home.
If you are fortunate enough to have a spare room in your house, then you could convert this room into your office temporarily. But, your workspace doesn’t have to be a separate room. It could just be a corner of your living room. The important thing is that you have a space where you can turn “on” to work. When you leave that space, you should be able to turn “off”.
2. Get dressed
While it might be tempting to stay in pyjamas all day, getting dressed for work each day will improve your state of mind and mentally prepare you to start work.
You don’t have to dress up in your usual, formal workwear, but the simple act of getting changed will help you get into work mode.
3. Stick to clearly defined work hours
The biggest challenge of working from home is having the discipline to set boundaries. You are in charge of your environment and have to hold yourself accountable. This discipline also extends to knowing when enough is enough when it comes to work hours.
While it may not be possible for everyone, especially for workers with kids, trying to set clearly defined work hours will help you maintain a healthy work-life balance and avoid burnout.
4. Get out and about (if you are not self-isolating)
If you are not self-isolating, you should get your shoes on, get outside and enjoy the fresh air at some point in your day. Reward yourself after a few hours of work with a 20-minute walk with your dog or get your yoga mat outside and salute the sun in the fresh air.
When you return to your home workspace, you will likely feel more energised and be more productive for the rest of your work day.
5. Stay social (virtually)
If you are used to working in a bustling office, working from home can feel lonely.
With video conferencing tools like Zoom, Google hangouts and Skype (to name a few), you can virtually recreate those casual in-office conversations that break up your workday.
It’s crucial during these challenging times that you stay connected and engaged with your work colleagues.
Source: Clientcomm library
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