As we enter a third year of a global pandemic and continue to deal with the affects on our personal and professional lives, I’m reminded of the fact that many people have chosen to work from home—some permanently.

Others may be looking to leave their current jobs in search of remote opportunities as the employment landscape continues to shift and adapt to workers needs.

I originally posted this article on my LinkedIn page in early 2020 but much of this still remains relevant so I thought it was a good idea to revisit some of these thoughts….

ORIGINAL POST

For many professionals, the concept of working from home has become an unexpected reality, and having to make huge adjustments in balancing work and family obligations under the same roof can seem overwhelming.

From the beginning, my company embraced the idea of remote working and utilizing digital tools that enable decentralized teams, and for the past ten years we’ve been making it work.

I’m fully aware that not everyone can do their jobs from home, and for those who can’t, this current situation is a sincere hardship. But for those who have been relocated to the home office, I’d like to provide some tips and hopefully some useful advice:

1. Maintain a routine

Try to mirror as much of your daily work routine as possible in order to keep a work mentality. If the first thing you do at the office is grab your morning coffee, eat a snack, or check your email, do those things at home. We’re all creatures of habit, so the more you maintain your regular daily routine, the easier it will be.

2. Dress for work

As tempting as it might be to work in your pajamas, try not to. Keeping a ‘work’ mindset during the day will help you stay focused and less likely to get distracted.

3. Create a space

Having a dedicated home office is a luxury and being able to dedicate a space in your home — just for work — can be challenging to those with larger families or limited space. However, being able to set aside a space ONLY for work will help you stay focused on tasks and maintaining your daily work routine.

4. Take breaks

In the same way you take small breaks during the day to socialize with coworkers or have a snack, do this at home. Go for a walk, get some fresh air, walk the dog, or simply close your eyes and meditate for 15 minutes. If you can find the time, try to dedicate 20-30 minutes each day to exercise. There are countless videos online with workout routines that require no gym or equipment. Clearing your head from all the daily stresses can go a long way to helping you stay healthy and focused.

5. Listen to music

Working in silence can magnify feelings of isolation and loneliness. Adding music creates a soundtrack to your day, can improve your mood as well as overall productivity. If you need some kind of background noise, turn on the TV at a low volume to substitute for the environmental sounds you’re used to.

6. Stay connected

The sudden transition to working in isolation can be jarring. Working with others, sharing ideas and collaborating face-to-face has been our most universal work experience. With so many available technologies, the ability to have face-to-face conversations isn’t completely lost, it’s just a bit different. Make the time to reach out to colleagues or friends. Even a simple FaceTime conversation unrelated to work can help make you feel connected.

7. Go home on time

Close the door to your office, turn off your computer or close the laptop at a reasonable time. As easy as it seems to stay ‘on-call’ or checking email around the clock can actually lead to being less productive. Obviously we’re in times right now where people need to be more available and in touch with daily changes to company protocols and policies, but we all need to try our best to maintain a reasonable work/life balance whenever possible. And that means calling it a day, when it’s time to ‘go home.’

Hopefully these tips can help ease an unexpected transition. I know it’s not easy, I’ve been there. And it took me a while to get adjusted to setting my daily routine—and sticking to it.

If you find this is your new reality, don’t despair, you’ll get through it.