More of us than ever before are working from home. The pandemic has drastically shifted where we work and the way we do it. I’m extremely grateful that the career path I started after college has led me to positions that I can do from home and I hope if you’re in the same position and able to work from home, you’re thankful for the ability to stay at home and stay safe.
I started a new job during the pandemic and have been mostly coming into the office to get specific tasks done, but if I need to, I can do my job from the comfort of my own home. My first job after college, I was able to work from home at least once a week, sometimes more if I needed it. It can certainly be difficult to get into a solid routine when you’re working from home, especially if you’ve never done it before. The middle of a pandemic isn’t necessarily the ideal time to make such a huge change to your work style.
I understand it can be a huge adjustment to working from home full-time; you miss social interaction, you likely didn’t have a space dedicated to working at home (you might not even have the space!), and you’re busy worrying about the state of the world. However, it’s important to recognize how lucky we are to be able to work from home during the pandemic and tackle the challenge of still being productive and focused. The good news is, you can definitely adapt to these changes! People are so resilient and by being conscientious and putting in the effort, you can make this “new normal” work to your benefit!
Set aside a space and make it yours
In order to be truly effective while working remotely, you need to set aside space just for getting work done. It can definitely be tempting to work from your bed or the sofa, but it’s important to make a clear line between where you relax and where you work. You’ve probably heard this piece of advice over and over, but that’s because it’s so important. Working from home full-time during a pandemic makes it way too easy to blur the lines between your professional and personal lives. I know the days when I would work from home, I ended up working much later than my typical hours because it would be hard for me to find a cut-off point for my work for that day. Having a space dedicated to working, whether a home office or a corner of a room somewhere, helps you focus better and be more productive.
When I started my first full-time job after college, I lived at home with my parents, which meant I had to find space in my already overflowing bedroom for a desk for the days I worked from home (try moving from a college apartment back into one room – I had a lot of stuff). I got a cute corner desk that could double as a vanity when I needed it to. I utilized the space I had and plenty of storage items that allowed me to keep makeup and work supplies within easy reach. Besides these two uses, I rarely sit at that desk unless I’m writing in my diary or on my laptop.
Communicate with the others in your home
If you live with other people, whether family, roommates, or a partner, it can be especially challenging to adjust to working from home. It’s much harder if other people in your home are working from home or if there are children to watch during the day since they might be learning virtually. Working from home is normally challenging, but it’s even more so during a pandemic, especially when everyone in your household may be home the majority of the time.
The best step you can take is to have a conversation with your entire household about what your schedule is going to look like and how you can all help each other make the transition easier. Make sure everyone is on the same page; you need time to focus on your work, even if others are home and not working – let them know what your work hours are. It’s also important that everyone understands that working from home does not mean you have a ton of free time. Depending on your job and workload, you might be able to get some tasks done around the house from time to time, but it’s important that the others in your household do not expect you to be able to take care of a long list of chores while you’re working from home.
Stay connected with work
One of the biggest challenges to working from home, even if the entire office is doing it, is staying connected with your job. You can feel distant from the company, your professional goals, your work, your supervisor, and your coworkers when you work remotely. Feeling disconnected can make you less productive and increase your stress levels and doubts about your work. In order to stay in the best mindset, it’s important to make the effort to keep in touch with your team, the coworkers you liked talking to you, and regularly checking in with your supervisor. Some of these steps should be on the company to ensure that all employees are staying tuned into the work being done and the end goals, but you can do your part as well. It’s also helpful to remind yourself of the work you’re doing, why you’re doing it, and how it relates to your ultimate end goal.
Create a set routine
Like I mentioned earlier, it can be easy to get sucked into your work and challenging to find a stopping point if you’re working from home. That’s why it’s so important to create a concrete routine. Set clear starting and stopping times for your work. There might be some days you’ll need to put in extra time, but even then, give yourself a hard stop and make sure it doesn’t become a habit. A good way to help stick to your routine is to have something you do after work each night – family dinner at the same time, an errand you need to run, a Zoom call with friends or family. If you have something at a certain time, it makes it much easier to find a stopping point in your work and switch to home mode.
Protect your time
Unfortunately, for some people, it will be even more challenging to stick to set working hours because your boss may believe working from home means you’re available at all hours. If it starts becoming an issue, be clear that you will be unavailable after a certain time. Set clear working hours for your boss and coworkers and explain that you have obligations in the evening that mean you cannot be consistently reached. There is nothing wrong with putting in some extra time or helping out here or there, but it’s also important that you protect your time. It helps your mental health and will make you more effective and focused during your working hours and also when you’re trying to get something accomplished at home.