With the delta variant on the rise, many companies have delayed a return to the office. Some companies saw how well employees worked from home and adopted permanent telework policies. Even those who do clinical or lab work find that many projects are being relegated to work from home days to allow for more physical distancing in small spaces.
Whatever the case is for you, it is clear that working from home is here to stay, so here are three tips to make working from home more effective.
1. Create and stick to a work schedule.
One surprise statistic of working from home is that employees tend to work longer hours. To help mitigate the risk of burnout, try to stick to a consistent schedule and log on and off at the same time each day. Once you do so, resist the urge to log back on and catch up on emails at night. It can help if you create morning and evening rituals to start and close your day. Our commutes used to signal our brains that we could shut off work on our way home. Now, it might be necessary to build in some time to help you physically and mentally make that transition.
2. Prioritize going outside.
People are spending less time outside simply because they aren’t commuting to and from work. You might find that working and living from home means that you hardly leave your home now. Outside time is important for human beings and even scheduling a quick fifteen-minute walk outside can prove to be beneficial.
3.Overcommunicate.
Working remotely means that you need to make sure you are taking time to communicate with your co-workers and boss. The hallway chats and office pop-ins used to be quick ways to pass along information. Now it is more important to make a concerted effort to reach out whether you need to let people know about your schedule/availability, project status, or even an area where you might be struggling.
