8 Ways To Readjust to Work From Home Situations

Working from home is not ideal, but it’s safe and manageable.

Researched, written by Amber & The Team
Updated on May 19, 2023

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Working from home on a long-term basis is quite a different experience from doing just once in a while. If you’ve been having some trouble readjusting to your work-from-home situation, we have eight solid tips on how to make the transition less difficult.

How To Readjust to Work From Home Situation

1. Be Adequately Equipped for Your Supply Runs

If you’re working from home because of an intense global event (like a pandemic), it’s important to stay safe. While staying inside is ideal, most of us will need to leave our homes periodically to purchase food and other important supplies. It’s important to keep yourself and your loved ones protected when you’re doing essential chores outside. Wearing a face mask outside is now widely acknowledged to be the most important thing we can do to protect ourselves and others, aside from observing physical distancing and proper hand hygiene.

2. Create a Schedule

You might be able to get away with having an open schedule if you only work from home a couple of times a month. But when working from home for long periods, it’s important to keep yourself on a schedule for several reasons. First, it will help keep you focused on being productive. Second, it will help give some normalcy to your situation. Third, it will allow you to truly make time for both your work and your personal life, both of which will become extremely blurred when you work from home for an extended period.

Picture Portraying 8 Ways To Readjust To Work From Home Situations

3. Make Your Workstation Ergonomic

It is especially important to make sure that your workstation setup isn’t causing you to suffer from a repetitive stress injury. Ensure that your home office setup is as ergonomic and as comfortable as possible. The home office chair you’ll be using should be suited to your body type while being conducive to long hours of sitting. Ideally, your desk should also be adjustable, while your lighting should be bright enough without causing strain to your eyes. Also, consider getting accessories that can elevate the comfort in your working space. It can be as simple as a pair of home socks for WFH setups, an ergonomic mouse, or lumbar support for your lower back.

4. Try to Remove Distractions from Your Work Area

While you’re rearranging your workspace to be more ergonomic, you should also try to make sure that the immediate surroundings are reasonably free from distractions. You don’t want too many things pulling your attention away from what you need to be doing.

5. Have “The Talk” with Loved Ones at Home

Unfortunately, our distractions at home are less likely to be physical objects or outside noises than they are to be our housemates, children, and spouses. They must understand that you need some space and a reasonable amount of quiet to be able to work. This can be a challenge if you live in a small space and if more than one person is currently working from home in this pandemic. Nevertheless, boundaries have to be set, and they have to be set early.

6. Have Some Extra Activities Available for Your Children

After you give them the talk, give your kids access to activities that they can enjoy in the house. Make sure that your children have some space of their own and that these activities won’t be too distracting for you. Books, art supplies, and musical instruments that could be practiced through headphones can be great options for keeping your kids occupied for the weeks or months ahead.

Young Girl Painting

7. Learn How the Pros Do Virtual Meetings

Many of us will likely continue to work from home even after lockdowns have been lifted. Given that, it’s important to hone your virtual meeting skills. Holding an effective virtual meeting involves a surprising number of skills and has subtle but significant differences from physical meetings.

8. Take Care of Your Physical and Mental Health

Staying in one place for too long isn’t exactly healthy. You may already have gained weight from excessive snacking and a lack of exercise. You may have also suffered feelings of anxiety and depression.

This is all normal, and millions of other people in the world understand what you’re going through. But as soon as we realize that these things are happening, it’s important to take those extra steps to ensure that we’re mentally and physically healthy.

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