10 Tips to Master the Art of Working from Home

Working come home can be difficult for some, but with the right tools anyone can learn to do it.

Ever since Covid-19 came around and rocked our world, the way we perceive, approach, and conduct workplace environments has changed forever. One of the things that became far more ubiquitous than anyone could have ever anticipated is working from home. 

Initially, many people were thrilled about the comfort, flexibility, and privacy that remote working could provide. Even to this day, millions report feeling more productive, more satisfied with their work, and more equipped to achieve that all-important work-life balance. 

However, there are two sides to every coin, and working from home is no exception. While remote working can be fun, it can also be very distracting and difficult to manage. 

Traditional work environments may be rigid and somewhat unforgiving. But that’s what drives people to focus on their tasks. At home, you have to rely on your own self-discipline to get you through the day— and that is not something many people have been trained to do. 

Maintaining a high level of performance while keeping your sanity in check are some of the biggest struggles facing any remote worker in 2022 and beyond. Here are some tips to help you handle them. 

1. Routine, Routine, Routine

One of the pros of working in a regular office is that the routine is already laid out for you – all you need to do is follow it. But when you’re home and alone, creating and following that routine is up to you. 

In order to stay productive and feel as though your day still has some structure, finding a routine that suits your natural rhythm and work ethic will be a tremendous help. The more structure your day has, the easier it becomes to focus on your tasks and execute them with consistently high energy. 

Your manager may have already provided you with a loose schedule of some kind, but refining that and making it your own will be even more effective. Determine what time you wake up, start work, take breaks, and sign out. Write it out, stick it up, and stay with it. 

2. Don’t Work Where You Unwind

This is one of the most powerful ways to prevent that scattered, lethargic feeling that sometimes creeps in on unsuspecting remote workers. Without clearly defined separations between the different components of your home life, productivity will continue to evade you.

Even though working in an ultra-comfy and luxurious environment like your bed or under some blankets on the sofa, this approach will only send signals to your brain to relax, not to work. 

Relaxation and work are equally important parts of your day, so give them their own parameters within which to exist. That way, when you sit down to work, your body and mind can fully embrace its occupation. And when it’s time to clock out, you can unwind freely and without guilt. 

3. Take Proper Breaks

In order to become sustainable, rest and focus must tag-team one another. You won’t be able to perform at your best if you aren’t taking proper breaks in between work sessions, which is why coming up with a healthy break routine is crucial for a cohesive work-from-home plan. 

Counter-intuitive as it may seem, too few breaks can lead to just as much unproductivity as too many. Finding the balance between the two is what you need in order to feel (and stay) sane. 

The tricky part here is finding what works for you. Some people find that the Pomodoro technique works well for them (brief, consistent breaks throughout the day), while others find that longer working sessions followed by longer breaks are more effective. You’ll have to try both to find what suits you best. 

4. Kit Out Your Work Station

Investing in ergonomic furniture can dramatically improve your remote working experience. The more comfortable, professional, and contented you feel physically, the easier it will be to focus on work. 

Sadly, the current high demand for comfortable work-from-home furniture such as these has sent the market skywards. Ergonomic furniture is pricey, and only a few can afford the kind of comfort everyone deserves. But that doesn’t mean you can’t find more affordable ways to achieve a similar result. 

A simple, straightforward desk sat in as quiet a place as you can find, a decent, sturdy chair, and easy access to plug-points and Wi-Fi will make all the difference to your work station. A whiteboard can also be useful for making mind-maps or following a schedule and are easily available at department stores. 

5. Switch Up Your Environment

Sometimes, a change of perspective is all you need to get out of a head funk. If your schedule allows for it, taking yourself outside of the home to a different environment can breathe new life into your work ethic and allow you to tackle your tasks with fresh eyes.

There are loads of different places you could go to that accommodate remote workers. Hot desk stations, regular (but quiet) coffee shops, and beautiful old libraries all serve as great alternatives to your home work station every now and then, so why not take advantage of them? 

If you’ve got a portable Wi-Fi dongle or are able to hotspot from your phone, the options become endless. You could even drive to the beachfront and work from inside your car. In a time where you can work anywhere as long as you have a connection, why not explore some different places? 

6. Co-Work With Friends

If you’ve got friends who are also trying to maintain a work-from-home schedule, you could both benefit from sharing an environment every now and then. When loneliness creeps in and you find yourself reaching for social media one (or eleven) too many times a day, heed your instincts and find a friend. 

Working alongside a friend can help to hold you both accountable for your tasks and create a more responsive work environment. Take breaks together, eat lunch together, and have a beer together at the end of the day. 

Sometimes, when you have someone else in your space, it can also motivate you to stay focused. It’s a kind of Big Brother thing—we don’t like people to see us when we’re misbehaving. A friend could provide some regulation to your routine as well as some levity in between focus periods. 

7. Get Out And About When You Can

Now that your work environment is also your leisure and recreational environment, you are in serious danger of becoming a full-on recluse. This isn’t bad if that’s what you prefer, but generally speaking, staying active and sociable is good for your mental and emotional health. 

Whenever you are able to, venturing outside to get away from the desk and engage the world in a different way can introduce some necessary reprieve between workdays and inspire fresh perspectives. 

Go to restaurants, see friends, go to classes, attend parties, visit your parents, get out into nature and ultimately let go of the stress and anxiety that so often accompanies hard work. Everyone needs an outlet. Keeping yourself busy in places that exist outside of work is good for you. 

8. Enforce Professional Boundaries

Just because you’re working from home, it doesn’t mean managers get to bully you into working longer hours or taking calls outside of your business schedule. This will require some strength, but the payoff is well worth it.  

If you find yourself being coerced into unfair or unpaid extra work, put your foot down firmly and politely. Revisit your employee contract to find out exactly what your job requirements are, and use them to dictate your approach to professional boundaries. 

There’s nothing wrong with putting in some extra work if it suits you and you feel happy to do it, but superiors may try to take advantage of that, whether it’s intentional or not. 

9. Exercise, Then Exercise Some More

Very little supports mental and physical health the way that exercise does. Squeezing some simple but consistent physical movement into your weekly work regime will improve your mental clarity, and concentration skills, and enable you to sit down for longer periods without becoming stiff or sore. 

You could try an early morning walk or run around the block before your workday begins, or if that’s not your cup of tea, an end-of-the-day yoga session can help you unwind in a healthy way. 

No matter what form of exercise your body likes best, try to find a way to incorporate it into your daily or weekly routine for improved productivity, stress management, and overall physical health. 

10. Find Your Own Rhythm And Go With It

What works for one person may not work for another. If playing loud rock music in the background while you work makes you think better, go for it. If working from bed every now and then doesn’t hamper your productivity, do it. 

Ultimately, the goal here is to find a rhythm that feels natural and effective for you, not anyone else. Once you find your groove, embrace it fully and teach others to do the same.

Keeping cool whilst working remotely is a skill, and it’s one you can learn with these tips. In time, you’ll find that you’re performing at your peak and staying sane without even realizing it.