The workplace is an ever-evolving space, especially in the 21st century. With the way technology has evolved, it’s becoming increasingly possible to work from home for more and more professions. While working your nine-to-five in the office has its perks, so too can accomplishing the same tasks from your house.
However, making that transition can seem daunting at first. How do you stay focused and organized? How do you prioritize your work-life balance when it all happens in the same place? These are valid questions you are probably asking yourself as a remote worker. Even if you’ve been operating this way for a while, you might not have the answers figured out yet. Keep reading for healthy habits to implement as a remote worker.
Improve Your Time Management Skills
Working on your own, away from others, can feel peaceful and offer fewer distractions. However, being in the comfort of your own home also has the downside of less accountability. In other words, your coworkers and supervisors aren’t around to keep you on task or tell you what to work on. Having this independence can be intimidating if you don’t have well-developed time management skills.
Learning how to improve your ability to manage your time and use it to work efficiently isn’t as hard as it may seem. There are many simple techniques to implement that can keep you organized and on-task. One easy way to do this is by making a schedule of your workload. Observe your projects at the beginning of the week, then assign each task a day of the week. You might have to split up bigger projects or put together multiple small projects in one day. Remember to prioritize the order of these based on their deadline.
Another technique you can use is known as ‘focus time.’ This is working uninterrupted and fully focused for a specific amount of time, like an hour, nonstop. Set a timer for your chosen length of focus time, then make sure to reward yourself with a short break when you’ve finished. This could mean getting a cup of coffee or taking a quick walk around the house. Just remember to not go too long without letting yourself take a breather.
Get Plenty of Rest
As with any type of job, it’s important to have energy and feel ready to take on the day. Without proper sleep, this can be difficult to accomplish. You might hit the midday slump, which is much harder to fight off when your bed is so near. Prioritizing your ability to rest and the quality of said rest is necessary to thrive in your work.
Getting good sleep is easier said than done sometimes. Whether you’re busy and can’t get in eight hours or battle a sleep disorder, there are ways to achieve better rest. For example, crafting a peaceful environment for sleep can help your body relax more easily. Turn off bright overhead lights, drink a hot cup of tea, read a book, or take a warm bath. A quick round of yoga or meditation can also help your body unwind for more restful sleep.
Another option to get better quality sleep is to take deep sleep gummies. Taking a natural, non-habit-forming supplement before bed can give your body that extra support it needs to sleep more deeply. This can be especially helpful if you struggle with falling or staying asleep. Achieving deeper sleep can leave you ready to face the day each morning without feeling the need to take a midday nap.
Create a Distraction-Reduced Work Zone
Another unfortunate element of working from home is the multitude of distractions around you. While you could argue there are also distractions in an office, you’re more likely to let yourself lose focus at home. This is because you’re more comfortable in your surroundings and have many things you like to do at home. For example, the TV or radio might beckon to you, or pets or kids could get you preoccupied. Additionally, you don’t have other coworkers or your boss to hold you accountable to your timesheet.
To avoid these intrusions, do your best to put together a distraction-reduced work zone. Finding a space removed from interruptions is key — a spare room or basement could be easily converted into a makeshift office. If you don’t have somewhere away from the center of the home, limit the amount of noise and moving pictures. In other words, turn off the TV, radio, phone, or whatever will take your attention from your work. If you have kids, implement ‘quiet time’ where their mission is to quietly play while you get some focus time in.
Additionally, take advantage of the do not disturb function on your devices. These limit notifications from either all or just certain apps, depending on your setup. If you have messages on do not disturb, the sender has the option to override the notification block if it’s urgent. You won’t have to worry about important calls or texts not reaching you this way.
Get a System Going
If you’re new to remote work, it might take some time to adjust at first. Any change is subject to an adjustment period, but giving yourself some grace is important to getting used to something new. Just remember to stay on top of your time, get lots of rest, and reduce distractions. You’ll find that working remotely can be a breeze!
Published by: Khy Talara
