Despite remote work becoming a more widespread workplace offering, many professionals are experiencing this scenario for the first time. Adjusting to a new work environment can be difficult enough as it is, but add in the other stressors this pandemic is creating and it might feel like an uphill battle. Read on for tips to try to incorporate into your new routine to improve your motivation.
A Good Night’s Rest
Sleep is always a great start to a very productive routine. The trouble you might be having with the changes to your day could be impacting your ability to sleep. Without a commute, you’re finding more time in the day and it could be tempting to sleep in. With more time on your hands and less to do, you might also be hopping in bed sooner at night. Sleeping for too long can leave you feeling just as lethargic as not getting enough sleep. Try to stick to your normal sleeping schedule to prevent changes in your mood or energy levels. There are a number of things you can do during the day helping you to rest well at night. It might be harder to refrain from a late afternoon coffee when you’re home, but it could keep you from falling asleep later that evening. Really making the effort to get your sleep right is vital because your body uses that time to do its own work. From repairing your immune system to promoting a healthy metabolism and there are a host of important functions sleep is crucial to. If you’re really struggling you may want to consider if using a supplement like melatonin could be a helpful solution.
Get Ready
This suggestion can be very tempting to ignore. Isn’t the benefit of working from home, in part, getting to be more comfortable than you are at the office? However, given that this is an on-going situation, you’ll find that dressing down might start to have a negative impact on your mood. It’s very important to the side of ourselves that craves structure to establish a new routine. Once you get out of bed, get up, get moving and get ready. Those who have been working remotely long before the pandemic have advised this because of the psychological implications of dressing for a day “at the office” on your at-home productivity. Maybe it’s a good time to question which work clothes are actually comfortable and most conducive to your personal efficiency. Check out a brand like Chicos that is devoted to comfortable working styles if you’re not sure where to start. For those who want to watch their spending during this time of uncertainty, you could always try thrifting for Chicos clothing to get that sharp business look without sacrificing your comfort or budget. Getting dressed has become an important step in self care during this time of isolation, so don’t skip it!
Make A To-Do List
The internet is currently filled to the brim with joke after joke of how we all seem to be experiencing time differently. What day of the week is it? It can be hard to know when you no longer have to leave the house to go to work. There’s no longer a difference between the setting in which you work and the one in which you relax, meaning setting boundaries are more important than ever. Practicing good time management is already an incredible professional skill to develop, and if it’s something you need to work on, no better time than the present! Sitting down and writing out a schedule for the week will help you with your own personal accountability, goal setting and learning how to pace your work and more accurately estimate the time you’ll need to account for projects.
Jessica is a content creator who is passionate about helping other business professionals with the confidence they need to succeed. When she’s not writing she can be found with her nose in a cookbook, trying out new dessert recipes.
