5 Tips to Maximize Your Work From Home Routine
How have you been? If you are reading this, you may be like many employees across the world who have found themselves working from home, which is uncharted territory for many.
We understand the difficulty of transitions and changes, and want to help support you in this time of uncertainty, each step of the way. At TRUE, we are all about family, and finding ways to support and uplift one another in a time of need.
Today, we are sharing 5 tips to maximize your work from home capabilities and help you achieve the highest level of productivity and happiness in what has become the new normal. Let us know how we can support you. We will get through this together!
1. Designate a Home Office Space
If you have grown accustomed to working in an office everyday, creating a separate home office space is key. While you don’t need a formal office setup, designating a space in your home to work from will allow you to make the transition to working from home remotely.
An extra bedroom, space in your basement, or spare table or desk can all work well. Ensure you have a comfortable chair, and an area that will limit distractions, where you can have a decisive ‘end’ to your work day.
“Having a clean and tidy designated office space was a necessity for me to work from home. We currently had an extra bedroom that was our home office so that worked out, however I had some tidying up to do to limit my distractions. I also added a small desk plant to help it to become the right space for me.” – Krystal B., Product Development Engineer
2. Follow Your Normal Routine
Just because you’re working from home, doesn’t mean you should give up your normal routine. Working from home can provide more valuable time to be productive, but following a normal routine is essential to success.
Set Your Morning Alarm
While you may be able to sleep in a little later due to no commute, set your morning alarm to stay on track with your normal routine. Waking up at the same time allows for you to thoroughly prepare for a productive day of work.
Get Ready for the Day
Take time in the morning to get ready for the day. While you do not need to put on a full business suit, putting on a new outfit can put you in the work from home mindset. Grab your cup of coffee, and get ready to begin your day.
Schedule Breaks
Scheduling breaks is essential to finding balance when working from home. Take a 15 minute walk or schedule time to eat a well-balanced lunch. If you’re feeling disconnected, take your lunch break as an opportunity to video call family, friends, or coworkers.
Movement
I’ve found that scheduling a walk during the work day helps me to reset. Movement plays such a big role in staying creative. Changing your scenery by getting outside can be a great inspiration for whatever you’re working on.
“Some of the best ways to be healthy mentally in your work from home space is to set it up in a way that you don’t mind being in it for the work day. For me it’s opening some windows to take advantage of the warmer weather, watering my plants so they stay healthy, and keeping a music playlist going that helps me stay focused when editing. I’ve also found that scheduling a walk during the work day helps me to reset. Movement plays such a big role in staying creative. Changing your scenery by getting outside can be a great inspiration for whatever you’re working on.” – Steven D., Media Content Specialist & Videographer
3. Take the Time to Focus on Health and Wellness
At TRUE, we believe taking time to focus on health and wellness should be a top priority. Ensuring you put your health at the forefront will yield positive long term results.
Exercise Daily
Exercise should be an important part of your day to day, especially when you are working from home. Taking 30 minutes a day to complete an at-home workout can help improve your mood, boost your energy, and provide stress relief from a long day of work.
Create Balanced Meals
Spending more time at home helps you avoid the vending machine snacks and tempting fast food options. When working from home, find time to create a balanced meal. No commute to work means more time to explore new food options, and cook up a fun recipe. If you enjoy a midday snack, reach for fresh fruit, or a handful of a nutritious snack such as almonds. Be sure to also consume plenty of water throughout the day.
“When I’m working from home, there can be many different distractions. For meal times, it’s best for me to create a schedule to support my typical routine, whether it’s a phone alarm or work calendar reminder. Planning out my meals can make it easier to stay on track with eating which helps me maintain traction towards my goals. Having a regular eating schedule helps keep my metabolism running smoothly so my body is able to process food better. This assists in managing my weight, digestion, as well as overall energy.” – Collyn C., Marketing Coordinator
4. Find Productivity Tools that Work for You
Video Conferencing
There are plenty of tools to keep you connected including video conferencing. Zoom, GoToMeeting, Google Hangouts, and many others offer video conferencing to help you and your team stay connected. Share important presentations, or have a virtual happy hour at the end of the day – the choice is yours!
Collaboration Tools
There are an abundant number of collaboration tools available to keep you on task and on time with important projects.
Google Drive: File Management and Document and Presentation Collaboration
Basecamp: Project Management and Messaging
Dropbox: Document and Image Storage and Sharing
“We use Zoom daily to communicate any needs or issues we are having from working remotely, I’ve scheduled a meeting every afternoon to have these talks. It’s also great for adult interaction if you are home with kids. We also utilize text messaging to communicate faster on needs that are more urgent and have a group text going for this communication.” – Amanda W., Inside Sales Manager
5. Enjoy the Small Joys in Your Everyday
Extended Time with Loved Ones
Working from home can mean extended time with your loved ones. Take the opportunity to join the simple moments that this can bring.
Family Dinners
Take at least one or two nights a week to enjoy family dinner. Try a new recipe, or bake up a delicious snack to share.
Game Night
Take out your favorite board game, or have a fun night of cards. Game nights are the perfect way to spend time together, while still having fun!
Movie or Netflix Night
Catch up on some the latest movies, or start a new show on Netflix – there’s always something new available to stream!
More Time with Pets
Spending more time at home means more time with your favorite four legged ‘kids.’ Take your dogs on a morning pre-work stroll or evening jog!
The Opportunity to Learn a New Skill or Finish an Existing Project
Take some of your evening time at home (or weekends) to learn a new skill or finish something that has been on your ‘to-do’ list for too long. Create a craft or learn a new art skill, work on a home improvement project, try mastering a new language – you’ll be surprised by how much you can achieve.
“Having more time to spend with family has been great. No commute has played a big part in this, but what I really have enjoyed is preparing and sharing 3 meals a day as a family. Despite the challenges, this provides a wonderful time to reconnect with each other.” – Tyler T., Industrial Designer
Working from home can allow you to find more time to tackle your tasks, focus on your health and wellness, and spend quality time with loved ones. We would love to see how you work from home.