Working From Home 101
If you are lucky enough to still have a job during the current pandemic, you may be reading this as a person recently acquainted with remote work. Whether you are new to this style of employment, or a veteran of this position of self-accountability, we have a few tips and suggestions to share that we believe will benefit you and your work/ life balance greatly.
Starting work every day refreshed, well dressed, and ready to put your best foot forward should not be exclusive to working among your peers in a company office. All of these things, whether they seem so or not, will ultimately aid in your engagement with the tasks of the day. Staying focused and remembering you are at work regardless if the setting says otherwise will be the driving force for your work from home success.
Lunch Break
It's so easy to get caught up in the momentum you build when completing tasks, but in the grand scheme of things, everything must fall into a properly structured schedule, leaving time for a lunch break at the same time every day. Not only does this give you more time to finish the rest of your work for the day without interruption, but it will also provide you with the fuel to do your job with maximum efficiency. Low blood sugar never helped anyone stay focused and productive- we can not overstate this!
Also, having a full-blown kitchen and refrigerator at your disposal does not mean the short break you are allotted is to be used for you to become America's next top chef in that half-hour window. Preparing your lunch beforehand will bring more peace and ease to your day than you can imagine. Working from home should be taken seriously and treated exactly like any other day at the office. Discipline is integral and structure ensures sanity!
Dedicated Work Space
When working from home, it is of utmost importance to find a place that you can regularly use free of distraction and noise. If you live alone or in a larger home, this should be easy, but if you cohabitate with anyone else, it must be understood that during certain hours, you are not to be disturbed no matter what. Nothing will throw you off track more than an aimless roommate who can't wrap their head around the idea of a person being at home and working at the same time. Setting does not make your tasks any less significant, but it does affect how you stage yourself to get things done.
Standing
Working from a consistently seated position is now considered the new smoking. What does this mean? Sitting day in and day out for extended periods is bad for your cardiovascular system. Any reason to sit down is typically welcomed by most people who have not yet realized the serious implications of doing this for 42+ hours a week. Now you may be thinking, do you really expect me to invest so much of this hard-earned money into one of those fancy standing desks? The short answer is absolutely not! We encourage you to get creative with the way you bring your computer to standing eye level, every home has the items necessary!
Priority Lists & Sticky Notes
With the mass amount of applications for making a to-do list, you may find this completely unnecessary, but we couldn't recommend this more. There is something about making a list and scratching out each task as they are completed that is so much more fulfilling than doing it digitally. The feeling of accomplishing goals highlights progress throughout the day and always feels wonderful!
Snacks
Most of the things we enjoy doing life, we accompany with snacks. There's something about that association that really excites the brain and we feel can be applied to the workday in order to bring more pleasure to what can sometimes seem mundane. We certainly do not recommend messy foods or alcoholic beverages, but easy to eat snacks and flavorful drinks can be great tools used to help you stay focused. Here are some easy ideas that, in addition to being tasty, can also enhance your performance at work:
Frozen Blueberries in a cup
Delicious and an actual brainpower + focus booster. Let them slightly thaw and enjoy this refreshing and sweet snack poured conveniently from your cup into your mouth.
Any fruit or veggie preferably sliced ahead of time
Apples, cherries, grapes, and carrots all contain varying amounts of fructose combined with fiber to maintain energy levels between meals.
Tea
Green tea is a great way to get a slight caffeine boost on the days you need the energy with the bonus of a mega antioxidant power!
Lions Maine
Increase focus, and mental clarity, all the while reducing stress and anxiety, this mushroom can be taken in powder or capsule form. We highly recommend having a blender bottle for conveniently shaking some of this up with your favorite plant milk and 22 Days protein powder!
B-Complex
Supports the nervous system, healthy energy levels both physically and mentally. Don't forget to take your vitamins with breakfast to get the day started right!
Chocolate
Mood booster, as well as a mild stimulant for increased energy. We can't think of a sweeter treat to look forward to mid-work week or every day if you prefer!
Omega 3 (DHA)
Powers the brain to help with mental focus and clarity. This is another great ingredient to add to a blender bottle smoothie for low maintenance, highly nutritious brain fuel! Omega 3's with DHA added can usually be found in liquid form at most health food stores.
We hope this article sheds light on how much more enjoyable the workweek can be when you fill it with things that bring you joy. For us, that's food and structure and we're sure you can agree! Staying focused and disciplined with your schedule and daily tasks will make life far less stressful knowing that you made the most of your day and can enjoy life in the evening with great peace of mind.
