Many of us have been stuck working from home for over a year now. With this set to continue for a little while longer (or, potentially forever if you’re a freelancer like me!), I’ve rounded up my top tips for optimising your home office, to make working from home, work for you!
1. Give your home office a makeover
It’s easy to feel uninspired and bored when exposed to the exact same environment day after day. So, change up your home office! This could be as simple as buying some new stationary or treating yourself to some flowers. Or, you could unleash your inner interior designer and starting painting the walls, or repositioning furniture – the options are endless! A change in your environment can easily trick your brain into thinking you’re in a fresh, new space.
Alternatively, sometimes it’s a good idea to actually move to a new space. When I’m struggling to focus or I’m feeling uninspired, I’ll pick up my laptop and move into a different room. It never fails to get the creative juices flowing!
2. Separate your workspace and relaxation space
I used to do lots of my studying and revising from the comfort of my bed. Not only did this do my back in, but this also made me associate my bedroom with stress and hard work – which was not great when it came to winding down, relaxation or sleeping. Our minds are great at making certain associations with our surroundings – so, make sure you are making the right associations!
The first step to making the right associations: separate your workspace and relaxation space. These two parts of your life should always be kept far away from one another. When you get up in the morning, you need to leave that space of relaxation, and instead work in a space that is dedicated to hard work and concentration (and yes, sometimes stress). Then, at the end of the day, as you return to your relaxing, work-free bedroom, it will be so much easier to leave all the stresses of the day at the door, and your mind and body will be instantly triggered into a state of relaxation.
3. Create a work from home routine
When working from home, it can be all too easy to lay in until 10 or take a 2 hour lunch. With no one looking over your shoulder, it might feel impossible to motivate yourself for a ‘proper’ 9-5 work day.
Lots of people work better when they have a set schedule for their day – so why not make your own routine! Get yourself a planner (or just a plain old notebook), and write down your fixed plan for each day – then, stick to it! Writing down lists or plans is a great way to prioritise tasks and hold yourself accountable.
First, write down what time your work day needs to start (and when that time comes, make sure you are at the desk ready to go, just like you would if you were working in an office!). Then, write down any meetings or deadlines for the day. After that, decide which tasks you will work on throughout the work day. Also, don’t forget to schedule in those all-important breaks!
Most importantly: have a finish time! We all get those days where deadlines pile up and we find ourselves working late into the evening. But in general, it’s so important to have a set finish time – just like you would in the office! There is far more to life than just working.
Side note: routines are great, but make sure you occasionally mix it up a bit to prevent boredom and stagnation. You could schedule a walk, spend a day working in a cafe, or even plan to have lunch with a friend! If you plan out your day carefully, you’ll find that you have a lot more time than you originally thought.
4. Set managable goals while you work from home
It can be incredibly overwhelming sitting down to work when you’ve got a million and one things to do. Instead of looking at the entire mountain of tasks in front of you, take one manageable, bite-sized chunk at a time. This will make your workload feel far less overwhelming.
Think of it like climbing a mountain: you wouldn’t force yourself to climb the entire mountain in one big push, only stopping to recognise your achievement when you reach the very top. Instead, you would climb a small section at a time and celebrate as you reach each checkpoint! With your work, you will feel far more productive and positive ticking off small tasks every hour or so, rather than struggling to reach that final, unreachable destination.
If you find yourself getting behind on work, take a step back and work out a plan before jumping in and rushing through everything. It might also be a good idea to talk to your boss or clients about your workload if you’re really struggling – mental health should always be your priority.
5. Change your WFH mindset
When we haul ourselves out of bed and sit down at our desks for another day of work, it’s easy to instantly feel glum and unmotivated. However, it’s important to question why you are actually feeling that way: does your career itself really get you down? Or is it just the repetitive nature of working from home? If your work itself is really getting you down, then it might be time for a change of careers.
However, if you love your career but you’re becoming more negative and resentful towards your work, it might be time for a change in mindset. Next time you feel negative thoughts towards your work, recognise them for what they are and use positive affirmations to shift your mindset: tell yourself that you are in control of your work life; tell yourself that you are grateful to have a career you love; tell yourself that your work helps and inspires others. Making positive associations with your work can help to rekindle your relationship with your job and subsequently boost your productivity.
6. Find triggers for productivity
When I was taking my GCSEs many moons ago, I remember seeing a revision tip that suggested finding triggers through your senses to trick your brain into a focused state. Doing something constant every time you sit down to work (for example, chewing a certain flavour of gum, lighting a specific candle, or holding a specific item) can trigger your mind and body to move into a focused state every time you smell, taste or touch the trigger.
I lit a huge, rose-scented candle every day throughout my GCSEs. The other day, I rediscovered the candle, and the moment I smelt it, I was thrust back into the world of year 11 and exam stress. It really is incredible how your brain can make such strong, powerful connections between the senses and memories – take advantage of it to boost productivity!
7. Take breaks from work and get outside
Our society seems to celebrate being busy and stressed to the point of burnout. I’m not sure where this trend came from, but it is so damaging. It IS good to be productive and fulfilled in your work life, but there is so much more to life than work! Even at the moment, with countless restrictions in place limiting our social lives, there is still a whole world waiting to be explored, just beyond the front door!
If you are feeling stressed, get up and walk away from the desk for a moment. Trying to power through stress will probably only make you more stressed. Even if you just spend 5 minutes in the garden, breathing deeply and taking the time to connect to nature. This can reset the brain and greatly reduce stress levels – which, in turn, can improve your productivity levels when you return to the desk!
8. Make time for personal projects
If you are a creative person, it can feel slightly soul-destroying using all of your knowledge, energy, and talent on other people’s projects. That’s why it’s so important to have your own ‘thing’: if you are a writer, set aside some time to start up a blog or write a book; if you are an artist or illustrator, take the time to create what YOU want to create; if there’s something you’ve always wanted to learn more about: do an online course! Personal projects are such an important part of your work life too. Even if there is no immediate pay off, I can assure you, there will be rewards in other ways. (Plus, who knows, your personal project might take off and become incredibly successful!)
Personal projects could also be closer to home: maybe you have been meaning to rearrange your bedroom for some time, or maybe you want to try out a new recipe. Alternatively, perhaps you are very handy in the DIY world and you’ve been meaning to build that shed or decking for years. If any of this is true for you – make time for it and do it! Working on your own ‘things’ can be an incredible tool to help you maintain your own identity and sense of purpose, outside of your job.
9. Keep your home office tidy and organised
Granted, this one is easier said than done. However, it is incredible just how much more calm, collected and focused you feel in a tidy and organised workspace! If your desk is piling up with papers, old mugs of tea and other random bits and bobs, dedicate some time to tidy up.
If, like me, your workspace gradually gets messy throughout the day, no matter how thoroughly you tidy and organise everything – don’t beat yourself up. If you spend all day in one place, it’s bound to look a little lived in! Instead of worrying about it during your work day, set aside some time either before or after your work day to tidy your desk, ready for the day. Think of it like a reset button for your workspace!
10. Be kind to yourself
Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t get as much work done as you hoped. We all have good days and bad days – we can’t be super productive everyday! If you had a bad day, recognise it, but don’t dwell on it. Try to focus on the little successes of the day and what you did do well, rather than the things you didn’t do. Filling your mind with positive thoughts is a great way to change your mindset. This will help you to avoid bringing excess negativity into the bedroom tonight, or into your workday tomorrow.
After a bad day, spend the evening relaxing and recharging – whether that’s having a bath, meditating, or watching a film – just take time for yourself, and try distract yourself from your work. Then, get an early night, so that you are ready for a better day tomorrow.
The Wordsmith 