Working from home means that you promise to yourself that you can spend a number of productive hours in a place that is normally dedicated to family life and relaxation. While most people would argue that it sounds more compelling than getting stuck in an office after a long and stressful commute, working from home presents significant difficulties too. For a start, you need to change the way you perceive your home. Indeed, you can’t just get in the car and drive away to work. You just need to walk downstairs and sit at the desk in your home office. So how do you make it work when you know that the TV, the sofa and your pack of favourite biscuits are directly available? How can you ensure that your home life doesn’t affect your productivity and that your work life doesn’t affect the peace of your nest? The secret lies in creating a positive environment for both.
Comfortable and inviting environment
First of all, let’s address the elephant in the room: you can’t work from the corner of the kitchen table, or even the comfy spot on the sofa. You need a home office where you can concentrate and work. But more importantly, even if you’re the kind of persons who can get in the mood for work anywhere, sitting for an extended period of time in a work-unfriendly position can affect both your productivity and the quality your output. You can’t work effectively if you don’t have a chair that is designed for desk work. The ergonomy and the functionality of your chair should be essential factors to consider when you design your home office. Admittedly style matters too, but it’s best to sit on a comfortable and ugly chair than to pick a beautiful piece of furniture that gives your backache.
Don’t let stress take over
Working from home can be highly stressful, especially if you’re self-employed. If you happen to be in a relationship, you can rely on your partner to help you when you’re in between clients. However, it can be an awkward conversation to have – especially if your partner is struggling to make ends meet. It’s important to come to a solution together. Additionally, your stress might affect your household too, as your partner and even your pet might react to it. While you can help your dog to relax with the best CBD dog treats, you need to learn to leave your worries in the home office. Stress is contagious and harmful!
It’s not just your office; it’s your home
When your work from home, your perception of your home shifts. However, it’s crucial to stick to a schedule as this will prevent you from turning your entire home into a giant office. Indeed, if your home becomes only synonymous with work, you might end up struggling to unwind and relax. There is nothing to gain in spending all your waking hours at your desk; you will only isolate yourself from your family and lose your creative productivity. When you build a professional career from home, you need to develop a coping mechanism to ensure that your work doesn’t affect your home life or your family. The key to your home office environment is to be a place of productivity, not a place that encourages stress, back pain and isolation.
