Remote work has become even more common because of the ongoing pandemic. People had to leave their offices and establish a workspace at home.
For some, the experience was quite positive, and they have no plans to return to the office once things go back to normal.
On the other hand, some people struggle to work remotely because they are too used to the office culture and being surrounded by other people. It also helps when you have a supervisor who motivates you in person.
That said, the overall remote work experience does not have to be that bad if you try to improve it. After all, it is still too early when some people can go back to their office, so you will have to do it. If so, why not make things easier for yourself?
Establish Boundaries
One of the biggest drawbacks of working from home is that you are likely to deal with other people who are not your coworkers. It is different when you live alone, but even then, you might have annoying neighbors who disrupt you all the time.
Establishing boundaries early on is important. Be it your family or outsiders, talk to them and explain that you are working from home and would like to avoid distractions and potential conflicts.
Avoid Distractions
Speaking of distractions, it is not just other people who might get in the way of your work. Other forms of distractions exist as well, and it is no secret that most of them are related to modern technology.
You are likely to be tempted to browse social media on your smartphone or computer instead of focusing on work. Video games, movies, TV shows, and other forms of entertainment are popular distractions as well.
Procrastinating and putting off work for later is tempting when you do not have a strict deadline and believe that you can just finish work later.
However, building such habits is not good, and you need to clearly distinguish the time where you need to work and when you can enjoy leisure. This brings us to the next point—creating a strict schedule.
Create a Strict Schedule
Start with a morning routine. Since you do not have to commute to work and waste in traffic jams, make the most out of this extra time instead of sleeping. Wake up early and do some house chores or a little bit of exercise.
It is also important to have a proper lunch break. Use the same amount of time you did before starting to work remotely. If there are no opportunities to go outside for a meal, prepare one for yourself and enjoy it.
Try not to work too late into the night if possible. Stick to the 9 to 5 model and treat your work from home the same as you would back in the office, with a few exceptions.
Get Reliable Internet Connection
Not every location has a reliable internet connection, meaning that you may struggle to carry out your work efficiently if you need to be online. The internet speed at your office and at home might be different.
If possible, you should look to switch to a better ISP so that you can eliminate the poor internet problem. In case your internet service provider options are limited, see if you can improve the current setup by getting a better router or eliminating potential obstacles jamming the signal.
Have a Dedicated Workspace
Wandering inside your home from one spot to another without deciding where you should work is exhausting. Such frantic behavior is no good long-term, and you may find it difficult to focus.
You need to have a dedicated workspace. Ideally, you should turn one of your rooms into an office. If you do not have a spare room, get a desk and a chair so that when you sit down there, you will know what the space is dedicated just to work, which makes it easier to focus.
Optimize Your Computer
Similar to how you want a reliable internet connection, you also have to maintain your computer in good condition. When you notice that the device’s performance drops, clean up your system by removing redundant files to free up the computer’s drive storage. Also, get rid of desktop clutter.
If you notice loud noises and overheating, check whether there is too much dust inside the computer and get rid of that as well.
Stay in Touch With Colleagues
Working from home means not having as many opportunities to socialize with other people, particularly with your coworkers. You need to stay in touch with them using Zoom or another communication platform.
Note that communicating with them should not be related just to work-related matters. If you are close with some of your colleagues, try to maintain that relationship even if you cannot meet in person.