While the benefits of working from home have been long documented, many workers have found the transition trickier than expected. Images of enjoying breakfast in bed and peaceful coffee breaks have quickly been replaced with the reality: endless distractions, burnout, blurred lines and isolation.
At Virtalent, our team of 70 virtual assistants are experienced when it comes to working from home. But it’s taken time and dedication to get to this place.
The secret to success? Make it work to your advantage. Whatever that may look like.
If you’ve found your WFH enthusiasm lagging recently and you’ve slipped into some bad habits that are wreaking havoc on your productivity levels, we’ve got some tips that might just help.
1. Set yourself three top priorities a day
When an unstructured day is stretching out before you, it can often feel overwhelming to know where to start. So set yourself three goals for each day and start with the most challenging task while your brain is still fresh. This will help focus your mind and instill a realistic sense of achievement.
2. Take regular breaks (sitting on your phone doesn’t count)
You may think scrolling through Instagram for five minutes counts as a break, but I’m sorry to say it doesn’t! Fresh air and movement provide a change of scenery that’s vital to your productivity levels as well as your mental health. So make a concerted effort to take interesting breaks that get you away from your desk. Your brain will thank you for it.
3. Find a dedicated workspace
This one is essential if you want to nail this whole working from home thing. You’ve got to set yourself up with a dedicated work area, and ideally, it needs to be separate from where you sleep or chill out in the evenings. If you work from bed, your brain will struggle to differentiate between work and sleep. It’ll then start to get progressively harder to switch off.
If setting yourself up with a workspace proves easier said than done at home, venture out to a library, quiet cafe or coworking space.
4. Know when to switch on and off
When your kitchen table becomes a full-time office space, it can be difficult to switch on and off. A good way to combat this is to create a “get into work” and “leave work” routine. Whether that’s making a coffee and closing the door at 9 am or logging off and going for a walk at the end of the day, find a ritual that helps you transition from living to working and back again.
5. Get on Slack
Some things just don’t warrant an email. At Virtalent, we’re all about Slack. Each and every virtual assistant is added to our team channel, and we take the opportunity to check-in, share advice, and celebrate wins. It’s our happy place. Best of all? No more email overload.
6. Invest in some plants
There are reams of studies proving the positive effects plants can have on our wellbeing. Research by the University of Cardiff reveals that plants can boost concentration and productivity levels by 15%. And the University of Technology Sydney found that adding plants to a workspace can reduce levels of stress by 37%. What’s not to love about this?
Not everything here will be possible, but the important thing is to do what you can to make working from home a success for you. Take it slow, build lasting habits, and you’ll be a pro in no time.
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