How to Work from Home During the Coronavirus Outbreak
In response to the spread of the novel coronavirus, a significant number of people have been asked to work remotely resulting in a surge of people working from home for the first time. Many people work remotely every day and quite frankly it can definitely be a challenge. Here are a few tips to make it easier:
Create a dedicated work space and keep it organized
One of the most repeated pieces of advice in remote culture is to create a mini-office where you can focus on work, It doesn’t have to be large: kitchen counters, hallway desks, or the dining room table. But a dedicated work space helps create familiarity and discipline in your day. An once you create a spot for work, don’t let the mess of everyday life take over. Try to clear your desk of everything except a notepad and pen at the end of your work day.
Be flexible and take care of yourself
Even if you carve out a dedicated work space, give yourself permission to be flexible. You may get more work done from the comfort of a king size bed whenever you — or your children are — under the weather. But working from your bed should only happen during special circumstances; keep the goal to work outside your bedroom to prevent loss of sleep at night.
Sometimes you might just need to move around. You can move from spot to spot, walk around your house or apartment, or stand at the kitchen island for a while. Movement is something that comes up time and time again — maybe a 10 minute walk outside or a play date with a pet will do the trick.
Mind your Body
Normal offices are full of desks and chairs that often provide more structure and support than our home furniture. When we work from home, it’s important to pay attention to potential pain triggers. For example, sit in a chair with a back. Sitting on the sofa for a year may send your back into a tailspin. Other recommendations include using a laptop stand and separate keyboard and mouse to encourage better posture and even specific types of chairs that help you sit straight, i.e., balance ball chair.
Enbrace hot beverages
One of the perks of working from home is that you can indulge your favorite coffees and teas. Take the time to enjoy your morning experience and maybe think outside the box by trying different flavors or even an iced coffee.
Excerpts taken from: How to Work from Home, according to Curbed Editors. We’re experts at remote work. Here are our best tips. By Megan Barber@megcbarber
