For many people, working from home is the new normal. A great deal of the U.S. workforce started working from home around March 2020, and many companies have extended their stay at home order at least through 2021. So, one would think that this should be easy by now, right? Well, some are struggling with this new normal more than others. Based on people’s environment, ability to focus, access to technology, and overall motivation, working from home has proven to be quite difficult.
Many parents are juggling virtual school with their children, while still completing their own work throughout the day. Everyone’s ability to afford adequate internet access and the needed technology to create an at-home office is different, and some people just simply are losing motivation working from home every day.
If you are suffering from missing the get-up and go, interaction with others, and simply a reason to get dressed every day – you are not alone. However, there are a few things about the office that many of us don’t miss. Money Penny recently surveyed American workers to discover what bugs people the most in the workplace. This new study covers virtual workplace annoyances, as well as in-office annoyances. According to the survey, about 49% of people are annoyed by co-workers not muting their backgrounds. It also points out that 32% of people are annoyed by people taking their lunch from the work refrigerator, and 33% of people find sending unnecessary emails to be a pet peeve.
When you think about it, we no longer have to deal with these things in the office, but we still may deal with it at home. Maybe your spouse is taking your lunch instead of a co-worker, or your boss is sending unnecessary emails to the entire team to ensure everyone is working on schedule. Here are a few tips to get through working from home.
- Set Boundaries
This is the most important tip because setting healthy boundaries equals self-care. You must set them with your spouse, children, pets, etc. Make it clear that during work hours you are not to be interrupted, your lunch is not to be eaten, and your office is not to be invaded. Of course, this comes with the exception of an emergency, but otherwise, you must firmly set parameters around your workday. Your family and friends must understand and support that you are still working, even it is from home.
- Take Scheduled Breaks
Take scheduled breaks throughout the day. Make sure that you’re fitting in some time to turn off your brain and disconnect. Go for a run, walk, or maybe just simply stand outside. If you don’t want to go outside, walk away from your work area and indulge yourself in an episode of your favorite show, eat a snack, or talk to your friends and family. Basically, give yourself a few times throughout the day to do something unrelated to work.
- Remain Responsive
We all hit a wall at some point during our workday. You may have had multiple meetings while still getting work done in between, and now you are on the brink of a burnout. First, let’s acknowledge that this is normal. You are allowed to feel this way and step away from work as a result. However, be sure to remain responsive to company communication. Make sure that you are properly responding to your ream and/or manager in a timely manner.
Hopefully, these tips help you revive your work from home motivation so that you can conquer work and be the start that you are!