How to Take Your Work From Home Experience to the Next Level

Even before the pandemic happened, many professionals have been working remotely. Digital nomads work in the comfort of their homes, cafes and other remote areas because they find it easier and more productive for them. 

Working professionals with families find that working from home makes them more accessible to their young children. Some employees might feel comfortable working from home as there are no restrictive policies there. Managing your time could also be freeing and inspire productivity to some.

Many people prefer working from home has more benefits for them and find that it works better than commuting to a regular office area.

However, not everyone shares the same preference. Some people find comfort in the distinct boundaries of work and home. Having the same functions overlapping in the same area makes them uncomfortable.

Whether you prefer working from home or you are looking for ways to enjoy the experience better, this article has it all for you. Be ready to get motivated and inspired to be more productive and get the most out of your work from home experience.

Read on to learn more about some tips and trips to take your work from home experience to the next level.

Tips and Tricks to Take Your Work From Home Experience to the Next Level

1. Set Clear Boundaries

Working in the same place where you rest is very tricky, especially for our human brains. Some people take time to switch their work mode from their rest mode, and being in an environment where we are conditioned to rest doesn’t help.

Setting clear boundaries between your workspace from other spaces of your home is one of the first steps to improve your work from home experience. Dedicating a work area helps condition your brain that you are now beginning to work and not rest. In the same way that your brain sends a signal to your body to relax once you see your bed, seeing your dedicated workspace helps switch your mind from comfortable to work mode.

If you share a home with other people, be it friends, strangers, or family, having a dedicated workspace also helps them realize you are already in work mode. It sends them a message that you are already busy. On the other hand, it also means you can contain your work to one place in the house. No more finding important documents on kitchen counters or living room tables. Setting clear boundaries serves a purpose for both you and the people you share a home with.

2. Schedule Regular Breaks

After setting clear boundaries where you work, setting boundaries when working and stopping to take breaks also help improve your work from experience. Having a clear timetable of when to work and when to take short breaks prevents fatigue and exhaustion. And more than that, taking regular short intervals spaced out throughout the day could even improve your productivity.

Regular breaks allow your mind to breathe and relax for a while. Focusing on work for long periods can be stressful and draining. Being so engrossed with work might make you oblivious to the stress, but your body can feel the toll. At some point, you might feel your brain hit a wall. Your ideas might come up short. Taking regular short breaks to stand and pace for a bit will help both your body and brain relax and, in return, make you think better and work more productively.

Getting in a few moments of peace and relaxation in the middle of your work can help you improve your productivity. A study has concluded that standing up and walking around for about five minutes can help improve your mood and reduce lethargy without compromising focus and attention.

3. Design Your Workspace 

Working is as much of a visual experience as any other human activity. Seeing aesthetically pleasing things helps our brain work better and more productively. Designing your workspace the way you find it attractive and functionally serves to make yourself work more productively and efficiently.

So when you have dedicated a proper workspace for yourself, make sure you design the area by paying attention to functionality and aesthetics. First, figure out which items and equipment you need to accomplish your task for the day. You might need a proper table and chair to do your work. If you need specialized tools, then allocate space for this equipment.

A great workspace is a combination of functionality and aesthetics. Make sure that your space not only serves your work well but also makes you feel human at the end of the day. Place some greens, like plants and succulents, to keep your work area bright and soft. 

 To learn more about designing your workplace to improve productivity, read our article on creating a healthy workspace.

4. Keep Your Work Area Organized

When you keep your work area organized, you can focus on accomplishing your tasks at hand. You stop wasting time on unnecessary and menial tasks. Say goodbye to spending precious minutes of work looking for an errant stapler or sharpener when you have everything stowed in their proper storage bins and drawers. 

Keeping your work area organized also helps improve the health and safety of your workspace. No more tripping on wires or getting grounded when you keep all wires and cables neatly tucked into cable spine organizers. There are also desk clips that could keep away all cables from running chaotically all over your desk.

Learn more about how an organization can lead to improvement of productivity by reading our article on it.

5. Make Your Workspace Comfortable

Comfort is productivity’s best friend. You might have heard of the world workplace ergonomics. This is the process of designing and building a workspace that fits and meets the measurement and needs of your body as you work. It’s a very sensible practise that makes sure you don’t work extra for things that have simple design solutions.

For example, slouching over your table can cause strain on your body and back pains that are uncomfortable. Eventually, these discomforts might contribute to your lack of concentration and, worse, some sick days you don’t want or need. Ergonomics suggests getting a table that matches your height and a chair that has good lower back support to prevent body pains that will make working uncomfortable.

One of the benefits of the work from home model is being able to control the things you use. Applying workplace ergonomics will make you highly comfortable and improve the way you work more efficiently. Try it out if you haven’t. Your work from home experience will go from bland to fantastic in no time.

The work from home model has been around even before the pandemic drove it to hyperspeed. Whether you find this model better or worse for you, there are some ways to improve this to match your working style. Defining clear boundaries on where and when to work is a simple but foundational step to improve your work from home setup. Customizing your work area according to your preference is also another benefit that will improve your work from home experience.

Learn more about designing your workspace by reading this article on five home office setup ideas for productivity or efficiency.