How can you make working from home more effective? Follow these top tips to get the boss to leave you alone and live your best life – from home.
A good routine
Yes, it’s boring – but a good routine really helps you get set up for the day. If you wake on other days at 6.30, try to wake up at the same time on your work from home days. If you don’t have to commute, fill that time with a stretch or a pilates routine or check out one of those sexy dancing tutorials I seem to see all over my algorithm. (Is google trying to tell me something?)
Eat break and drink your coffee and get down to bid-ness.
The right setup
But wait. Bid-ness – or business for all you guys who don’t know Gen Z speak (like me) *hair flip*, Business can not be gotten down to without the right set-up.
- Ergonomic chair. Must.
- Desk at the right height with enough room for all your bits and bobs. Must.
- Footrest or your feet flat on the floor. Must.
- Your ‘I Love Dogs’ mug. Definate must.
Why are all these things important? They’re soooo boring!! (Except the mug)
1) Posture Support
Traditional chairs can put undue strain your spine, and over time can lead to bad posture whilst increasing your susceptibility to back injuries. Ergonomic chairs are fully adjustable to align with your height and workstation, ensuring you remain in the correct sitting posture.
2) Helps with Back Pain
Lower back pain is one of the leading causes of absence from work in Australia. Ergonomic chairs feature a backrest that has been designed to support the natural curvature of your spine. The backrest is also taller to provide support for the entire back.
3) Reduces Neck Pain
Office workers often complain of stiffness in the neck and shoulder region. This can lead to complications like spondylosis – a loss of cartilage lining in one’s vertebrae. Ergonomic chairs may include a headrest to provide support for the head and neck too.
4) Relieves Hip Pressure
A hard chair can put unnecessary pressure on your hips. Ergonomic chairs have sufficient padding and depth to help support the hips and reduce this stress and pressure.
5) Improved Blood Circulation
Another major benefit of ergonomic chairs is the positive effect they have on blood flow. Adjusting your seat to a 90-degree angle allows proper circulation in the legs. Good circulation prevents your legs from swelling or going numb.
6) Boosts Productivity
Comfortable and supportive chairs lead to happy and healthy employees or students, who are less likely to be distracted or suffer from aches and pains which may force absences. As a result, the introduction of ergonomic chairs have seen reported increases in productivity and work quality.
Basically, back and neck pain is a bitch, and ain’t nobody got time for that!
Mental Health Breaks
I know you probably don’t have these at work, but working from home is not the same. You don’t have other people around to chat to or bounce ideas off. You don’t have communication or interaction and these things can make working from home lonely and difficult. Factor into your day the following three things:
- A trip to the coffee shop – this gets you out of the house and talking to other people. Feedback – even if it’s just a smile – can boost your mood and morale
- A walk – Walk around the block, or the clothesline or just around your unit. Walking will get your blood pumping and will help clear your mind, making you able to make more creative choices and decisions
- Check in with a workmate – even just a simple teams ‘hello, how are you!’ will make you feel more connected to your fellow workers and like you’re part of a team.
Save meetings for the arvo
When 3pm-itis hits, it’s so easy to flick on the tele and see what’s happening on the early news. But the boss ain’t gunna love that. My tip for curing the arvo blues? Set your meetings later in the day. Use the mornings to get shit done and the afternoons to flaff (I mean work hard) in meetings. Listen to Rob drone on about his spreadsheets and zone out a bit. Then it’s only an hour or so till finish time.
Do something after work
Whether it’s running to the shops, running around the block, playing with the puppies or having a quick wrestle-fight with the kids – do something that signals works over and home time begins. This will help your brain switch off and over and will make your home feel like a home again and not an office.
