Many of us have had to make the change from working in a team at the office to sitting on our own at a desk at home. Working in a group encourages you to keep going. But while you’re working from home, time seems to stand still. So, how can you keep motivated while you work alone?
A working day is long. But while you’re at the office, the old grind of the 9 to 5 could seem to fly by. But why is that? Because while we’re at work, we’re surrounded by people. And let’s be honest, people are a distraction that help to break up the day.
Let’s talk about that a little. You walk through the door first thing and ask how everyone is. Before you’ve managed to get started, 15 minutes have gone by. Then it’s not long before you’re called into a meeting, you lose a couple of minutes just waiting for everyone to gather together. Then there’s the coffee break that always goes with a quick chin wag. And before you know it, it’s lunchtime.
You see, a normal, in-office working day is broken up by mini distractions that eat into our time. But what about when we’re working from home?
While working from home, you haven’t got to go through the morning ritual of time-consuming conversations. You know like the ones where Alice talks about what the cat was up to and Bill fills you in on what was on the telly last night. This means you can plough straight on with your work dead early. You might stop for a drink, but since there’s no line for the coffee machine and no one to chat to, you’re soon back to work again. Unless there’s someone else working from home with you, the whole day could be pretty uneventful.
Here are a couple of other things that could make working from home more difficult.
- You’re just not comfortable in your home office
- The day feels longer
- You feel lonelier and get distracted quickly
- You might find it harder to stay on task when you know that there isn’t someone constantly watching your back
So, now that we’ve spoken about how the home office can affect us, let’s discuss some ways in which we can counteract these negative feelings.
1. You’re Not Comfortable
Your old office chair was the best. It swivelled, it was on wheels, you could adjust its height. The only thing it couldn’t do was make you a cup of tea.
Now you’re making do with your home office chair. It was never that great, but that was okay because you never used to spend that much time in it. But now, it’s making your day miserable. You can’t seem to get through a morning shift without getting a sore back.
If your home office chair is making you uncomfortable, then it’s time to upgrade to something a lot better such as a FlexiSpot home office chair with wheels. This chair has an ergonomic design that is good for your back. It is built with lightweight and breathable cushion that will give you comfort during even the longest shifts of the week.
A comfortable chair will make the day go by quicker. It will also help to brighten the mood of your working space as this office chair comes in a variety of cheerful colours.
2. When the Day Feels Long
Whilst working from home, the days might seem longer. You feel like you’ve already put in a whole day’s work but when you look at the clock, it’s barely 11. What can you do if your working day feels too long?
If your day feels like it’s too long, why not try breaking it up? Instead of breaking your days into two 3 or 4-hour slogs with lunch in the middle, make the slots smaller. Why not start slightly earlier in the morning then have a half an hour break around 10? Then you can have another break around lunchtime and another midafternoon. Regular breaks could make you more productive.
Now, what should you do during these breaks? Make them count by leaving your desk and doing something. This way, you can give your eyes a break from the screen and give your body a chance to stretch from all the sitting. It might even be helpful to follow a quick at desk stretching video to give you the energy for the rest of the shift.
3. When You Feel Lonely
Working from home can make us feel lonely. We’re used to getting together at group meetings at the office and eating lunch together. If you’re the only one in your family that works from home, the home office could feel like a solitary place.
To combat that, make sure you keep up with family and friends where possible outside work hours. If it is safe for you to meet up with them in person, make sure you do so. But if you can’t, be sure to meet up with them online.
Playing music during lunchtime, or talking to someone over the phone is a good way to break the loneliness while you eat. Keeping up with work video meetings will also help to fill the void.
4. When You’re Distracted
You’re in the middle of work when you receive a call from a friend, you get a social media alert and someone likes one of your posts. All of these are distractions that could stop us from getting our work done while at home.
What can you do if you’re distracted at work? Try putting your social media notifications on silent mode. If you don’t need your phone for work, keep it in another room. Out of sight, out of mind!
Putting on music while you work always seems like a good idea, but it is distracting. If you want to be more productive, switch to a playlist that has music without lyrics. Or even better, turn the music off completely so that you can stay focused.
How can FlexiSpot help you? As we discussed earlier, FlexiSpot is the home to ergonomically designed furniture. This will help you to concentrate better as it supports and makes your working environment more comfortable.
