Without the patterns of getting up, going to work, and returning home – it can be hard to establish good boundaries between work and home, especially if you’re in the same space for a prolonged period of time. Over time, this can start to take its toll on our mental health, so it’s important to think ahead and create a healthy work routine.
First of all, you need to decide where your work space is going to be. Creating a dedicated space will help you have the mindset that when you’re there, you’re at work. It’ll also give some definition between work and home which can be tricky when working remotely.
Creating a routine will give a sense of stability and structure that will help put you in the right mindset for your working day. When building yourself a structure for your day, start by thinking about when you’re most productive and ideally stick to what you did before, the same time waking up, getting dressed, having breakfast, the commute (use the time to read, listen to a podcast, learn something new, do some exercise), and then your working day. You will need to take into account additional responsibilities such as childcare or caring for others.
Equally, at the end of your day, shut your computer off, stop checking emails, and ‘finish working’ at the normal time. Keeping to the working hours you set will also prevent you from over-working which is easy to do when your office is at home. If you live with others, try sharing your work schedule with them so they know when you’ll be around and when you need to concentrate.
Lastly, ensure that you are taking regular breaks to enable you to unwind, re-focus and then apply yourself better as it is impossible to operate at 100% throughout the day. Use break times to clear your mind, stretch, get outside for some fresh air if you can and connect with others – even if that is via a phone.