Are you working from home (all the time!) right now? Lockdown is easing and life is getting busier again but many of us are still predominantly working from home. This can be surprisingly challenging. Many of us are overworking and always ‘on’. We may also be feeling distracted, demotivated, isolated or stressed.
Here are some ideas for helping you adapt to resilient home working. That is, working in a way that supports your wellbeing as well as your productivity. Let’s start with the resilient workspace.
Start by reviewing your existing home workspace.
‘Going to work’ involves all sorts of routines and indicators, such as getting dressed, commuting, colleagues going for lunch or coffee breaks, desks and ergonomic chairs, that help us separate our work and home lives. The office set up allows us to focus on work whereas home has a different purpose.
Imagine you are starting a new job here and you are looking at this area with fresh eyes. What do you notice? What works for you and what doesn’t?
A resilient home workspace is all about implementing boundaries.
Aim for your home workspace to be:
- Contained: Keep your workspace contained. Don’t let your work spill over into the rest of your home. Try to make your workspace not visible when you finish work. This could be putting your laptop in a cupboard or moving the drying laundry to your workspace so that you are able to switch off at the end of the day.
- Decluttered: Keep your workspace clear and focused. Clutter can raise our stress levels and affect our ability to think clearly. Also think about the view from your workspace. Perhaps the ironing pile is in your sight line and needs shifting.
- Uplifting: Make this a positive place to spend time. Consider how you could bring in nature by being near a window or a pot plant. Include inspiring photos or objects. This could be a photograph of a place or people that matter to you, an object that makes you feel good, an item that connects with your work purpose or a reminder of positive feedback that you’ve received.
Ask yourself:
- What is already really positive about my home workspace?
- What one small thing will I change to make my workspace support my resilience?
Do let me know what you come up with.
Now that you’ve had a look at your workspace, have a think about making a resilient working from home routine.
Interested in feeling energised and inspired? Sign up to join a Resilience Coaching Walk. Wander locally, wherever you are, while connecting with Anise and a small, friendly group via Zoom.
If you’d like to think more about how you can feel less stressed and more confident, get in touch with Anise to find out about how Resilience Coaching could work for you.