August 07, 2019 | 5 min read
Are You Prepared To Work From Home?

Lauren

Today, technology allows us to work from almost anywhere! Whether that’s in a conference room at the office or in the comfort of your own home, many employers are giving their staff the luxury of choosing their own workspace. If you are one of the many who have decided to work from home—either on a full-time or an as-needed basis—you have found yourself with a pretty amazing set up!

However, this doesn’t mean that working from home doesn’t come with its own challenges. From being fully autonomous over your own workload to eliminating common distractions, there are different elements you need to be prepared for when choosing this type of work environment.

Let’s take a look at 5 ways you can ensure you’re ready to work from home:

Dress for the day

When working from home, it might be easy to get into the habit of ‘rolling out of bed’ and starting your daily duties. Instead of sitting down at your computer in lounge clothes, however, begin your day as if you’re commuting to the office. In doing so, dress for the day as if you were leaving the house first thing in the morning. Not only will more professional attire put you in a more productive mindset, you’ll be less tempted to take a nap midday!

Find a dedicated workspace

Whether you’re working at home for one day or you are a fully remote employee, finding a quiet space to set up your desk is crucial. Instead of lying in bed with your laptop, for example, try setting up at a different space in your home. This will not only help you eliminate distractions, but also better differentiate between your work and personal life. If you prefer this space to be a public establishment like a coffee shop or library, be sure to check and see if it’s suitable that you stay for extended hours. In addition, there are plenty of coworking spaces that you can look into—especially if you plan to work remotely in the long-term.

Check your connectivity + technology

Before working from home, it’s important to certify your tech capabilities with your company’s IT department. This means that every program needed to do your job should be easily accessible on your laptop or home computer. If your role requires heavy time on the phone, for example, double check that your desk phone forwarded to your cell. Or, do you have Photoshop available at home if you’re a graphic designer? Keeping these questions in mind about your connectivity can make your work from home experience as productive as possible.

Stay in touch often

Working in a different location than your manager and team members means you have to be easily accessible. To help you keep in touch, there are tools such as Slack and Google Hangouts which make for a seamless stream of communication. If you plan on working remotely (or from a different location) in the long-term, you should plan on scheduling regular updates with your team.

Keep a work-life balance

When working outside of the office, it’s easy to fall into the habit of working around the clock. Disconnecting after a day of work is helpful to wind down and relax, even if you’re working in your immediate living space. When you log off for the day, just as you’d be leaving the office, try to avoid checking back in after your work hours. Keeping a work-life balance can ultimately help you avoid burnout, and you’ll be thankful you took the time to spend more time enjoying life outside of work with family and friends.

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