By this point, most of us have become used to working from home and all that that entails. But you know what else is happening at this point? Working From Home Fatigue. Or WFHF. Or pronounced Wuh-fuff. I know, it's made up. But it made you laugh, right?
We started off this journey waking up early, going on walks, tackling projects on lunch breaks and marking items off our to-do lists. However, most of us wake up with enough time (about 3 minutes) to roll out of bed, use the bathroom, then sit in front of the computer to log in for work. Shower? What's that. Real clothes? Haven't seen those in months. Last time I washed my hair? Ummm, where's the shampoo?
Sound familiar?
It's easy to get burnt out, however we all want to keep those jobs that so graciously gave us the ability to work from home. So lets make an effort, starting today, to get back to some of that start energy from the beginning of working from home.
How?
Here you go:
Wake up at least 30 minutes before you have to be "in the office". An hour is better, but, baby steps.
Wear real clothes. Now, this doesn't mean you need to dress like you're going into the office. You can change into workout clothes, if that's what you prefer. (Truth: this is what I typically wear). But do NOT stay in your pajama's. The change of clothes helps signify to your body and your brain that something different is happening and you need to wake up.
In addition to wearing real clothes, go ahead and put on shoes. And I don't mean slippers. Complete the outfit. You will feel ready to take on your day.
Have a dedicated workspace. This can be more difficult for some, but even if it's a corner of your kitchen table, know that this is where I work. When I am sitting here, in this chair, I am working. When I walk into my office space, there's an energy change, because I know I am here to work. When I walk out of my office space, I can relax because I am off the clock and on "me time."
Headphones. Remember how much you loved putting on headphones at the office? Or wished people would wear headphones so you didn't have to hear their music? Well, put on your headphones, zone everything else out, and plug away at some of those mindless or less-than-fun tasks you don't enjoy.
Utilize your calendar. Just because you're working from home doesn't mean you don't get a break. Be sure to put a recurring appointment on your calendar for halfway through the morning and afternoon, to step AWAY from your computer. Go change the laundry, take a walk around the block, do some pushups, dance to your favorite song. Whatever it is, take a break. Your body, mind...and coworkers...will thank you for it.
Get back to a routine. Things will come up, but having a routine helps your mind and body know what's coming. Are you about to finish up your daily morning meeting, so you're about to go for a walk? Did you finish all your emails, so now you can do the part of your job you love?
Time blocking. This doesn't mean you have to have everything planned out. However, knowing from 8-9, I check emails, 9-10:30 is spreadsheet work, 10:30 is my break, 11-12 is teammate chats. OR 8-10 morning tasks. 10-10:30, take a break. 10:30-12, late morning tasks works as well. If you are someone who needs time for their brain to wake up, don't do the complex tasks that require a lot of thinking first thing in the morning. Or, are you like my old boss who thrives in the morning and tanks in the afternoons? Then switch that schedule and do the important things in the morning. You know how you function best, along with what your job needs from you on most days.
It's time to get back to productivity and enjoying your day! And you can do that by utilizing some, or all, of these. Are there other tips you use? share them below and let's all thrive in working from home!