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More people than ever before are working from home right now. Unfortunately, many of them are making basic mistakes that will tank productivity, pile on stress, and even hurt careers. How many of these mistakes are you making while you work from home?
Working from home is great, they said. You can stay in your pajamas all day.
But can you really do as good a job in your PJs on the couch? Getting dressed in if not business attire, then at least “real” clothes in the morning signals that you are ready to work. Plus you have the satisfaction of changing back into your comfy lounge clothes at the end of the workday.
It’s a simple change, but if you find yourself struggling to work from home, getting dressed as if you were going into the office might help.
We’ve all seen plenty of Zoom meeting horror stories by now. Always dress as if your webcam is on and broadcasting video to your boss.
Deciding when you’re “at work” and when you’re “at home” is tough if you’re new to telecommuting. It’s a good idea to just keep the same business hours you had before. That means letting both your coworkers and your family that certain times are off-limits.
It’s very easy to let your workday creep into your personal time when you work from home. You start checking your email a little earlier or working a little later to finish a report. Then, before you know it, you are in front of your computer for twelve hours a day.
A good way to set boundaries on your time is to literally define your space. If you can close a door between your workplace and the rest of your home, it will help separate the two.
The most comfortable place in your house is not necessarily the best spot to work all day. If at all possible, don’t work on your couch. For one thing, the living room should ideally be a place to relax. For another, you’ll probably end up wrecking your posture as you slouch over a laptop.
If you can, work at an actual desk. No desk? A kitchen or dining room table is a good backup choice. You can also convert a bookcase into a simple standing desk by removing the upper shelves.
