How to Take Remote Work to The Next Level

Post-pandemic, remote work has boomed. It is now for certain that the future of work is working remotely.

Workdays used to consist of long commutes and cold offices, now they often consist of PJs all day.

Workers are trying to find the best balance between work and home life as they are now somewhat combined.

It can be hard to draw a line between where work ends and home life begins if they are all happening in the same space.

When working in an office, it is easy to leave your work struggles behind at the end of the day, but when at home, it is harder to leave the workday behind as you are still physically in the same location. 

We have curated a guide to remote work and how to take it to the next level in order to reap the true benefits of working remotely.

The Benefits of Working Remotely

From financial savings to better mental health, working remotely has plenty of benefits. A few of the benefits you can reap from working at home include:

• 77% increase in productivity
• Long term prevention of burnout
• Reduced stress
• Fuel savings
• A better night’s sleep
• Lower blood pressure and BMI

All of these benefits contribute to a healthier lifestyle and a better you.

7 Science-Backed Tips for Working from Home

While working from home has many benefits, it can also be challenging. Especially, if you cannot differentiate between your work and home life priorities.

These often get meshed when you are living and working in the same space. 

A few tweaks to your daily routine can dramatically improve your remote work experience. Those who tweak their routine to include more than just rolling out of bed, working, and rolling back into bed have a much better experience working from home.

Try out any of the following tips to make working remotely a better experience. 

1. Practice a fake commute

Sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic on your way into the office may have not been your favourite part of the day, but it may have been more beneficial than you think. Your commute was a way to have a separation between work and home. You are missing out on this separation when working from home. 

In order to reap the benefits that your old commute gave, consider practising a “fake commute”. This could be simply taking a walk, running to get a coffee, or meditating instead of rolling straight out of bed and getting to work. This will put separation in between work and normal life.

2. Create a routine

Routines will dramatically improve your work from home experience. Sticking to a consistent schedule will help you differentiate between work and home life and give you a specific time as to when to start and end your work for the day. 

The routines you create can be as simple as making your coffee at the same time each morning or taking your lunch break at the same time every day. This will help create consistency and ease stress in your life.

​​

3. Stay social

When working from home, it is easy to go days without any social interaction. Social interaction is essential for great mental health, so it is important to find ways to be social while working remotely.

Consider having Zoom meetings with your co-workers to see their faces, going out to a happy hour, or joining a book club in order to stay social.

4. Spend time in nature

It is proven that spending time in nature is beneficial for both your physical and mental health. When working from home it is important to get outside. Going on walks in between meetings and getting some vitamin D will help reduce anxiety and fight diseases.

5. Learn to say “no”

Saying “no” is hard. You never want to let anyone down, but sometimes saying “no” is best for your mental health. Not to mention, less on your plate will often mean better work on the projects you are working on. 

Working from home and saying “yes” to more projects will often lead to unpaid overtime, more stress, and no differentiation between work and home life. If you feel like you are being overworked while working remotely, find a respectful way to explain to your employer that you don’t have time and can produce better work without the stress of another project.

6. Get regular exercise

It is easy to avoid going to the gym or going on walks when working from home. This can lead to an overall decline in your physical health, especially since regular exercise is also associated with eating healthy foods that can make us happier and increase our productivity.

Outside of the physical benefits, exercise also reduces anxiety and depression. This is one of the many reasons why it is important to get moving while working remotely.

7. Ditch multitasking

It can be easy to switch tabs and multitask while working from home. This could mean working on multiple projects at once or even trying to complete a project while simultaneously trying to complete household tasks. Very few people are actually able to effectively multitask.

It is best for remote workers to focus on one task at a time for maximum efficiency. This will lead to fewer mistakes and less overall time spent on the task. You can get more tasks completed in a few hours of “deep work” than you can in many hours of multitasking. 

The Best Home Office Technology

Upgrading your work from home space is a great way to make remote work easier.

Creating a comfortable workspace where you can get tasks completed efficiently and effectively is sure to make working from home a more enjoyable experience as well.

Here are some items you can add to your home workspace to help you reach peak productivity.

In-House Cameras

If you are working from home but also have the kids at home some days, in-house cameras are a great way to keep an eye on them without having to leave your office. In-house cameras will reduce your anxiety about what the kids may be up to while you are working.

Smart Windows

Smart windows can help reduce the noise from the outdoors, creating a tranquil office space. Some smart windows can even tint to prevent blinding light from coming through.

Standing Desk

Perhaps the most bought item when the remote work boom happened was the standing desk. Standing desks can be adjusted to different heights and are a great way to avoid sitting down all day.

Video Doorbell

Adding a video doorbell will benefit you in many ways. It can let you know when your package has been delivered and give you the chance to approve package drop-offs without ever leaving your office.

Light Therapy Lamp

When inside all day, you can get depressed from lack of sunlight. Try getting a light therapy lamp for your home office. These are proven to reduce depression. 

Remote work is here to stay. It can be difficult to make the transition from the office to home without the right tips and tools for success. Remember that balance is key to staying productive and happy while working remotely. Ensuring that you keep a balance between work and life will help you reap all the benefits that working from home has to offer.