At the time of publishing this blog post, the COVID-19 outbreak is forcing more and more employers to ask their staff to work from home. If you’re new to working from home, here are some tips to make your workday enjoyable and productive.

Create a comfortable work environment

utilize good Music

You may sometimes find music distracting at work, but at home, try playing it softly and in the background.  Try something different than you normally listen to like a relaxing cello concerto or a playlist that’s designed to nourish your brain. You have all day to experiment with it!

Support your body

POSTURE is not to be undervalued especially when you’re comfortable at home. Setup a nice pillow to soften your seat and support your back. Take some time to make sure you are seated or standing in a comfortable and sustainable position.

use proper Lighting

In an ideal world, everyone working from home would be backlit by the natural sun without a trace of screen glare. If you’re not fortunate enough to work like this, pick up some inexpensive task lighting to illuminate your workspace and help you get things done.

Change up your workspace… often!

If you work using a laptop, move to different locations in your home several times throughout the day.  Spend some of your day at the dining room table or on the couch. Working from outside, either on a deck or set up a lawn chair, on a beautiful day or just for a few minutes in the morning can be very refreshing.

If you work from a desktop, consider taking some time to enhance the desk (or even move it!). A standing desk is strongly recommended to keep your brain and body pumping. If you don’t want to buy a new desk, repurpose a tall tall dresser or other piece of furniture so you can feel the difference. It may work perfectly! For better ergonomics, place a wall mount for a secondary monitor directly in front of you to minimize neck strain and save space.

Take Breaks

Working from home can be a blessing and a curse. Perhaps you will take too many breaks. Perhaps you will take too few. Think about this before you dive in and set a timer.  Then just get up and do something else for 5-10 minutes every hour. Consider doing some stretches or Yoga. If you suffer from lower back pain, this Foundation exercise is amazing!

Hydrate!  Know that you will be out of your routine and one thing that is sure to suffer is hydration.  Err on the side of caution and drink more rather than risk dehydration.  There is not a line or long way to go to get to the bathroom, so be sure to increase your water intake. Enjoy a nice hot or cool beverage!  If coffee is your thing, start yourself off with a good strong cup in the morning then switch to decaf in the afternoon. Teas are a great choice as well.

Manage Distractions

Working from home presents unique challenges. They typically range in ages from newborns to teenagers!  This may require you to very strategically choose your workplace in the home. Remember to stay flexible. If you can move from space to space, this is good for an ergonomic change, but also good for minimizing distractions.  

Be honest with your colleagues. You are not alone working from home. More and more folks are doing this out of desire, ability or necessity such as we are seeing with the current COVID-19 outbreak. It is OK to let your coworkers and customers know you are working from home. Now, more than ever, we should all be more understanding of this.

Enjoy the commute! 😎