Working from home is new for a majority of us at this time, however, for those that work remotely, this is nothing new. But for those of us that are learning as we go, some elements are more challenging than others. In this article, we will be outlining some of the pressures you may be experiencing whilst working from home, and how you can combat them.
Lack of Focus
One of the biggest problems when it comes to working from home is a lack of focus. Though it is often quieter at home when compared to the hustle and bustle of the office there are often more distractions. With loved ones living at home as well as pets, it is all too easy to become distracted throughout your workday. Though this can be prevented by finding a quiet place to work, this is just not possible for those that have restricted space in their homes.
Poor Connectivity
In addition to your loved ones and pets, there are also a number of other distractions that can affect your ability to work efficiently such as lack of business phones and internet speed. If you are living somewhere with a slow internet connection, this can have a profound effect on your ability to work as this can lead to downtime during loading time. Though this cannot be helped in some places, it is important to remember that some tasks can be completed during this time such as writing or making phone calls using BYOD services and communicating with your team on upcoming deadlines.
Difficulty Establishing Boundaries
Boundaries are very important when working from home as you also need time to relax and unwind. This is why many suggest that having a separate office space is needed to ensure you are as productive as possible when working. This should be a quiet space that allows you to concentrate whilst still being comfortable. This can be a spare bedroom or an office space and should have a vast amount of natural light to prevent strain on the eyes. By creating a separate space, you are then able to close the door relax and switch off creating the differentiation between work and home that you would get when working in the office.
Difficulty With Day-to-day Structure
Though it may not seem like a necessity, making sure you still have daily structure is crucial. By setting an alarm on a day t day basis, you will ensure you are up and have everything you need to be completed before you start work. This is essential when working from home is a lack of structure can lead to unnecessary stress. Therefore, maintaining a loose structure will help you to feel more productive throughout the day as a result, thus helping to improve all-round mood and mental health.
Working from home, particularly during this unprecedented time, is new to many of us, therefore it is important to ensure that everything is taken care of whilst maintaining our mental and physical wellbeing. By following each of these tips, we are sure that working from home will become significantly easier as a result.
Image Credits: Paige Cody
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