Throughout this past year, a lot of businesses have had to move to remote work. This has presented many challenges as people transition. However, one of the hardest is making sure you are still working effectively from home.

Separate Work and Home

One of the trickiest parts of remote work is finding a work life balance. Everything begins to bleed together so you need to set healthy boundaries. One common solution is to create a separate work space. This separation helps your brain to transition into work mode. Similarly, you can choose to dress nicer or at least change out of pajamas. You can go for a walk before work to simulate a commute. Anything that helps to simulate what you would normally do at your job in person can help you to adjust to working from home.

Increase Communication

When working in an office, you can easily ask your coworkers quick questions or clarify expectations. However, this quick communication isn’t as easy when working virtually. Remote work can also lead to more miscommunication and misunderstanding. Increasing communication amongst your coworkers can help to keep everyone on the same page. You can understand what and how things need to get done. Proper communication can also keep you abreast of everyone’s situation. Perhaps someone didn’t finish a report because they are having tech issues or something came up at home. Make sure you always check in with people and understand what is going on in their life in relation to their work. Understanding where everyone else is will make or break your work.

Create a Schedule

Those who work from home often work more hours than in person workers. This is due to many factors, but it is partially due to not having a clear schedule in place that keeps you on track throughout the day. Creating a schedule allows you to set specific beginning and ending times for your work day. You can also establish when you should take breaks. It’s not good for your physical or mental health to work continuously throughout the day. Make time for lunch and designate times you will get up to stretch or to get water. Most importantly, establish when your work day is over and stick to it.

Although things have changed for many, that doesn’t mean you should sacrifice the quality of work. You still want to be an effective worker even during these unusual times. Explore what works best for you while you work remotely.

If you need something to help you relax, pick up a new book!