5 Tips to Help You Adjust to the “New Normal”
At least a third of Australian workers have been working from home in these past months since the Covid19 outbreak happened. All of a sudden we were forced to learn how to work from home – there was no adjustment period and no time to get used to. One day we were in our offices the other we were working from home.
And we tried to do the best with the situation we were handled. But still, for most of us, the struggle of working from home is very much real. With all that happened, we weren’t prepared to see all the advantages of remote working. Only now are we slowly starting to get used to our “new reality”.
If you’re still having trouble adjusting to the “new normal”, take a look at these 5 tips that can help you create a new working routine.
1. Create workspace
Working from home can be tricky, especially if you don’t have one space exclusively for work. If you thought that you can work from anywhere – kitchen counter, living room, or even your dining room table – you’re probably only now realizing that is not such a great solution.
Kitchen, living room, dining room, all of these rooms contain distractions that can cause you to lose concentration, your work mojo, and simply lose productive working hours.
To avoid such distractions, you should create a dedicated workstation – a quiet corner where you’ll be able to put your computer, printer, and other stationery that you’ll need for work.
Ideally, the workspace should be in a completely different room, but not all of us have that kind of space in our homes. So, a quiet corner where you can concentrate on your work will be enough.
2. Set working hours
One of the biggest disadvantages of working from home is not having real working hours. You start working first thing in the morning and you don’t stop until the sun comes down. That’s not how remote working should be done.
Turn this disadvantage into your advantage and create your own working hours and make your schedule. Just like you would work 9-5 in an actual office, you could also work those hours from home. Or even better, set your own working hours.
The most important thing is that you set work hours and stick to them. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself, try making a realistic schedule, and don’t deviate from it. It will take time to get used to it but just don’t break the habit. Additionally, don’t forget to take breaks during your work hours.
Try to do everything or at least mostly everything you did at the office – coffee and lunch breaks, toilet breaks, stretch your legs, and so on.
3. Think about your health
It’s easy to get carried away and to get stuck in work when your working from home. When this happens it’s your health that suffers the most.
Spending too much time sitting in front of a computer, takeaway food, being stuck at home for long periods and the list goes on. All of these things aren’t doing your health any favors.
Spending too much time in a sitting position and eating unhealthy food can cause many health issues such as headaches, back and neck pain, obesity, high blood pressure, heart conditions, and so on. And it’s not a secret that one of the most common chronic illnesses among Australians is high blood pressure.
Similarly, at least 1 in 6 Australians suffer from back pain, and now spending time sitting at a desk is not helping the situation at all.
To avoid problems like this make sure you take breaks from sitting every 30 minutes, try investing in standing desks, and never skip exercises. Working out while remote working is very important. And if none of this helps with your back pain try visiting a physiotherapist.
The best-equipped physio in Canberra can help treat your back and neck pain, and they can do this with your busy schedule in mind!
So, don’t forget to take care of your health while working from home!
4. Find life-work balance
Working from home means that your personal life bleeds into your work and vice versa. Sometimes there is no escaping this and at others, there are ways to find a fine balance between work and life.
You need to set some rules and boundaries if you want to find a life-work balance. The first thing you should never do is start working first thing in the morning without going through your morning routine.
Get up, get dressed, have breakfast, do your exercises, or whatever your morning routine consists of, and only after you’ve gone through all of that can you start working.
Similarly, your designated workspace should be exclusively for work and nothing else. Take lunch breaks and get from the desk, don’t eat at it. Don’t do anything else that isn’t work-related at your workspace. Once again, this is why having a workstation when working from home is important.
And finally, have your work hours set – don’t let your whole day pass without you moving from the desk. Once you finish your workday, don’t go back to work until the next day!
5. Make a schedule
For many people working from home is a new thing and getting used to it isn’t easy at all. Organizing your own time can be tricky if you’ve never done it before.
To make this transition easier for yourself, you should create a schedule and try to stick to it. Create a list of all the things that should be done – from work to housework, exercising, shopping, and so on.
The most important thing is to create a realistic schedule that you can actually stick to. If the schedule is too demanding your chances of failing are greater. With a realistic schedule, you can do most of the things you have planned.
And remember, it will take time until sticking to the schedule becomes a habit just don’t give up!
Adjusting and getting used to the “new normal” will take time for sure. The point is to make the transition and adjustment easier for yourself. Don’t be too strict with yourself, give yourself time and space to make mistakes. If one schedule doesn’t work out, make another. If the working hours don’t suit you, set new working hours.
That’s the beauty of remote working – being able to organize your time on your terms!