While many companies have been implementing work-from-home arrangements before, there is an increase in the number of businesses going for this set-up nowadays. This is because decision-makers have realized that people are still productive even at home and that the company can reduce overheads by giving up the office space.
Working from home has many benefits for the employees. However, it also has its fair share of drawbacks, such as unnecessary stress and the bleeding of work into your personal life. If you are an employee who sees this happening in your own home, there are actually some ways that will help you deal with the work-from-home stress. Here are some of them:
Create boundaries — as in literal boundaries
What makes work-from-home set-ups stressful is that you notice how work affairs get blended with your personal affairs. This dynamic is more pronounced when you do not have a dedicated working space, as it gives you the impression that any place in your home is an extension of work. To create boundaries, you actually need to create real boundaries. This means that you need to pick a corner in your home that serves as your workstation. Better yet, convert one room into a home office. This will also keep distractions at bay, thus increasing your productivity.
Create a structure
The lack of structure also makes this new work arrangement stressful and anxiety-inducing. Creating a structure means following a work routine that will help increase productivity. If you used to wake at seven in the morning in your previous work set-up, apply the same time to your work-from-home system. Come up with practical schedules that designate tasks to specific times of the day. When you follow a structure, work-from-home becomes less stressful.
Step away for a while
Breaktimes are important for your sanity. Since you are at home, they allow you to fulfill some house-related tasks. Breaks also let you bring down your stress levels by doing things that relax you, such as reading, watching a TV show or some parts of a movie, doing some ashtanga yoga, and even cooking. When you’re stimulated enough, you can go back to work.
Get in touch with your pals
One of the many causes of stress levels for people working from home is that they do not see their colleagues, meaning there is no socialization going on. However, you have the liberty to talk to your friends and enjoy their company. Continue nourishing your support system by giving your friends or officemates a ring during break times. You can also choose to organize online meet-ups such as mini-gatherings on a Friday night. If possible, meet up for real at a restaurant or while doing groceries.
You can make it work! Work-from-home set-ups can be challenging, especially if you are doing it for the first time. But your learning curve will improve as you go along with it. You will eventually find some hacks and tricks to unlock productivity while managing stress. You can make it work!
