Happy New Year! Although vaccines are being distributed around the world in many places, a vast amount of people will continue to work from home into this New Year.
If you are one of those fortunate enough to work from home as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, have no worries. I have some work from home tips for the new year.
These tips below will help you to restore your peak levels of productivity and also help to keep you sane, organized and healthy.
With this in mind, let’s jump into some helpful tips.
Get Organized and Stay Organized
One of the biggest tips that I want to share is to not only get organized but stay organized. By staying organized, you can get a good look at tasks that you need to complete and your progress.
You can also create a schedule that suits your workflow and meets your various deadlines.
For those who are traditional, a traditional planner or calendar may do the trick. However, for those who have more to organize and prioritize, consider using a project management program such as Asana, Monday.com, or Trello.
Other Ways to Get Organized
Whether you’re working with paper or electronic files, a good organizational system is key to your productivity. For paper files, a file cabinet or file boxes will be much more efficient and tidy than shoving them into desk drawers.
For electronic files, create a labeling system that allows you to locate them quickly and easily. Consider the other storage needs of your office. Would a bookshelf or cabinet help keep your space clean and organized?
Create a Pleasing Work Environment
Not being able to leave your home as we did prior to COVID is indeed draining. Not only that, if you were once working in a nice office space, you probably miss that. So, if that’s the case, try and create an updated pleasing work space to work from.
Doing so will give you a boost of inspiration which will ultimately help your productivity and keep you from feeling uninspired and burnt out.
In addition, designating a space for work will allow you to shift your mental focus and get into work mode by “going to work” just as you would with an office outside the home.
Consider these ideas for creating a pleasing work environment at home.
For example, you may want to physically move from one room or even corner to another, or you can do some redecorating to infuse inspiration right back into your work zone.
If you’re going for the latter, consider these tips to get you started:
- Declutter your home office and elevate your organization with storage containers and file folders
- Create a vision board for work and hang in your space
- Light some candles, incense or essential oils
- Add some artistic inspiration by hanging up a print from a famous artist
- Bring some greenery into your space with a houseplant or a small bouquet of flowers
Get the Right Desk and Chair
Your desk is the hub of your home office and choosing the right one can make all the difference. When choosing from the many different styles and sizes of desks, consider your individual needs.
Here are some questions to consider.
- Will you be working on a laptop, desktop, or with ink and paper?
- Will you be using multiple computer monitors?
- Are you drawing or drafting?
- Do you have a lot of tools that you will need at hand?
Now that you have your desk, choose an appropriate chair.
Whatever your job, there’s a good chance that you are going to spend a lot of your workday sitting down. Your desk chair should be comfortable and supportive.
When choosing the right chair, shop for comfort first, not style and price. The ideal chair is supportive with good cushion, adjustable height, and helps you maintain proper posture. In addition to your desk chair, you may want to consider adding a recliner or armchair to your office as a place to read or take a break from your computer screen.
Set Boundaries and Unplug
Setting boundaries and knowing when to unplug is important when working from home. So make sure that youtube up and take your breaks during your work day and unplug when the work day is done.
Turn email and messaging notifications off, chill out with your family, make a healthy meal, or dive into your favorite book. Whatever it is that makes you feel most at peace, make sure you’re using your precious time to do it!
Be Mindful of Your Personal Well Being and Health
Working and living in the home can cause burn out. We understand that. A big part of managing burnout and stress is prioritizing your physical and mental health. Taking time to exercise, eat healthy, talk to a therapist, and socialize with your loved ones are all major pieces of the puzzle.
If you’ve been having a hard time focusing on your health during these unique circumstances, consider these tips.
- Join an online gym
- Spend time outside
- Run a virtual 5K
- Have virtual or socially-distant hangs with loved ones
- Show some self-care and creativity with paint by numbers
- Make sure you’re getting good sleep each night
Office Supplies
Finally, just because you’re working from home, it doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the luxury of a well-stocked supply closet full of extra stationary. In fact, stocking up on bulk office supplies is cost effective and ensures that you’re not scrambling around looking for a spare paper clip.
A basic list of office supply essentials includes the following:
- Pens, pencils, and highlighters
- Sticky notes
- Legal pads or notebooks
- Printer paper
- Binders and folders
- Stapler and extra staples
- Scissors
- Paperclips
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re working from home by choice or by necessity, creating the right office environment is the key to doing your best work harmoniously at home, especially as we enter the New Year.
Lastly, it is understood that many of your home-office needs will depend on the kind of work you’re doing and the space you have available to you, so everything in this post may not resonate with you - and, that’s okay. Use what works and leave the rest.