Create a comfortable, ergonomic, productive and inspiring work area
The first step is to establish a space for your work-from-home time. The space should be comfortable and enhance productivity and focus. As you would in the office, don’t forget the importance of ergonomics when you are working at home! Make sure you have a good ergonomic office chair for good posture throughout the day, the right amount of work surface to work comfortably and that your monitor is at eye level. Many of us work off laptops when at home, but if you are settling in for a longer period of time to work from home, a laptop screen maybe too small and cause eye strain and poor posture.
Think about the following products that you might need to make your space ergonomic – Monitor, Monitor Riser, Footrest, Ergonomic Chair, Mouse pad, separate keyboard and mouse to your laptop, sit/stand desk…. Browse Workspace Direct for more ideas.
Get Dressed!
It might seem like a simple tip, but it’s a crucial one!
People love to work from home and stay in their PJ’s. This might work for some people but is it killing your productivity? To ‘dress for success’ does matter as well when you work from home.
You might not wear your usual work attire or wear your usual make up or spend quite so much time on your hair when working from home, but it is important to feel good and feel confident to do your best work. You also want to be ready for those online video meetings and chats!
Communicate, Communicate, Communicate
If you don’t usually work from home, chances are there will be some bumps in the road. The key to steering through these bumps is communication.
Make sure you have a plan that lays out expectations for how often you should check in and keep in touch with your colleagues or manager. How will you convey any changes or new projects amongst your team?
Plan and schedule your online video meetings and catch ups. This plan is likely to change as you go and that’s ok, you will soon find what works best for everybody.
Step Away & Step Outside when you need to
With the usual hum and distractions of a physical office or work place, it might be too easy to become absorbed in your work when at home. Don’t forget to get up stretch those legs and get some fresh air every now and then.
Work out a few new routines and create some new good habits that suits your new work at home environment to keep you happy and productive.
Set an alarm for every hour or so, and take 2-5 minutes to stretch and walk around. Regularly stretching helps you maintain great posture. At a minimum, stretch throughout the day so you don’t get fatigued. Keep Clearly Defined Working Hours
I know, hard to do for some workaholics! But just as you would designate and separate your physical workspace, you should be clear about when you’re working and when you’re not at home as well.
You’ll get your best work done and be most ready to transition back to the office if you stick with your regular hours.
Plus, if your role is collaborative, being on the same schedule as your co-workers makes everything much easier for your team.
If you are working from home over the COVID-19 period or setting up for the long term to work from home, visit our office furniture website at www.workspacedirect.co.nz for all your Home Office Essentials.
Stay Safe, Stay Home and Be Kind!
