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If you’re like me, you’ve been working from home for a while now. Whether you have always worked from home, you feel like you’ve always worked from home, or you’re itching to stop working from home, you’ve probably worked out a routine and have developed some (good or bad) habits from your time spent in your home office. While any routine is a good routine, there are plenty of ways to upgrade your work-from-home system now that we’re over a year in.
Fresh Air is Your Friend
One of the best ways to break up the day when working from home is getting out of the house. One of the best ways to get out of the house and get a little exercise is with a walk. By walking, you are giving yourself the chance to get outside, step away from your desk or kitchen counter, clear your head and de-stress. You’re also getting some light exercise in as an added benefit. You can turn on a favorite playlist, listen to a podcast or simply walk and enjoy the sounds of nature. It is far too easy to stay cooped up at home when home and work are in the same place. What better way to refocus and make a dent in your step goal?
Set Up Your Dream Office
If you are still working from your couch, take it from me: it’s time to move forward. You don’t have to transform your guest room into a study, but you should have a space that makes you happy to sit down and get to work. For me, that means a desk and a lamp that has a lightbulb I can adjust, so it isn’t too bright or too dark while I work. I also invested in a coffee mug warmer and an extra phone charger specifically for my desk area. These things are not fancy, but having a few little luxuries that make my workspace a more pleasant place to spend time definitely makes for fewer distractions throughout the day.
Shorter or Less Frequent Meetings
We have all ended a meeting or Zoom call and thought “that could have been an email” at some point in our professional lives. Why not act on that thought? If you’re in control of scheduling a meeting, try scheduling them for 20- or 50-minute increments instead of 30- or 60-minute meetings. Having even 10 minutes between one meeting and the next makes all the difference instead of being stuck in back-to-back meetings all day.
Make the Most of Your Calendar & Time
Just because you aren’t in a meeting doesn’t mean you aren’t busy. Don’t be afraid to block off time just for yourself. Maybe you need to block off 30 minutes in the morning just to go through emails or an hour after lunch to focus on a big project. There is nothing wrong with scheduling your own tasks in your calendar and staying on track with this can lead to increased productivity due to lack of interruptions.
Do Breaks on Your Schedule
Just because I said you should use your calendar does not mean you have to schedule every moment of every day. In fact, I find I appreciate a break less when it’s scheduled. Instead of forcing yourself to take breaks at set times throughout the workday, try taking breaks whenever you feel yourself needing it. I find that getting up and folding a load of laundry or taking five minutes to visit with my cats can give myself and my eyes the break that we need to return to the computer with better focus and clarity on the task at hand.
Take Advantage of Lunch Meetings & Networking Happy Hours
We are fortunate enough to be at a point where a large number of Americans are vaccinated, and our favorite places are opening back up. Just because you are working from home does not mean you can no longer leave your house. Ask your favorite coworkers to meet for happy hour or plan a team lunch once per month. If you’re a business of one, consider asking a friend or colleague to get together. If there is one thing we have learned in the past year, it’s that being alone is hard. We may not be back in the office, but that doesn’t mean we should cut off our work friendships entirely.
Join Networking in High Heels
For many of us, our home offices are here to stay. Now that we are all well-versed in working from home, what are some ways that you could brush up your home-office routine? Let us know your tips in the comments, and if you haven’t yet, join Networking in High Heels today.
