As many CEOS continue to call for employees to come back to the office, countless people either retired or left to work for companies that offered full-time remote work. For many people within the workplace culture, working from home is the new wave. Since it is here to stay in many capacities, recognize the reality of its ability to become stale. Once you get used to an experience, it can feel boring. If you’ve been working from home and need to breathe new life into the experience, consider the following ideas.
1. Develop a Great Playlist
Getting to the gym and realizing that you’ve forgotten your headphones at home is reason enough to head back home. Your workout won’t be as effective without that electrifying playlist. Music and audio stimulation set the tone for a good time. This same concept applies to your workplace environment. However, your playlist might sound a bit different. For those who are considered neurodivergent, a brown noise playlist might be the sound that helps them get into the zone and work for hours. For others, a combination of Bach, Beethoven, and Chopin can make the morning feel more productive and fun.
2. Take Intentional Breaks
Even when you’re in the actual corporate office environment, taking a five-minute break is okay. Plan out your day in order to make sure you schedule frequent yet short breaks. Take a five-minute coffee break once you’ve worked for an hour. Take a ten-minute break to get outside and do a deep-breathing exercise. When you take your breaks, do activities that reenergize your mind to keep going.
One of the reasons a lot of people love to work from home is that it provides more autonomy. If you have the ability to plan and schedule your work at certain times, don’t hesitate to go exercise in the middle of the day or take a mid-afternoon 20-minute nap. You’d be surprised by how much fuel those activities provide your brain in order to improve your productivity over time. Plus, these activities can be so much fun.
3. Utilize Wellness Tools
For many people, overall wellness became a priority in recent years. In order to be efficient and effective, it’s wise to make optimal wellness a priority. If your company offers corporate wellness programs and benefits, seize those opportunities. Even through Zoom sessions, many companies offer their employees scheduled wellness sessions for therapies such as sound baths and breathwork. Never underestimate the power of wellness.
4. Brew an Awesome Hot Drink
Coffee is a beloved beverage for many. If you’re not used to making your own lattes at home, now is a great time to start. Purchase a fun mug and some coffee-making gadgets. Stock up on ingredients like syrups, coffee beans, and flavorful creamers. Create a latte of the day to add some extra pizzazz to your workday. Before long, you’ll be a happily-caffeinated employee who makes a mean matcha latte.
5. Include a Friend
Working from home can get extremely lonely. This is especially true for those who live alone. In order to escape the pain of loneliness, use your work time to get in the presence of others. It’s important to find people who have work to do as well. You don’t want to distract each other from getting work done. However, having a buddy who can come over and work in the same area can be beneficial for both your spirit and your mental health.
6. Set Up the Right Ambiance
If you peruse any social media app, it’s clear that aesthetics really matter. They can make a major difference in the way you work, feel and live. Even if you don’t have a large space to work with, decorate the space you have. Set the mood with scents. Whether you choose to light a candle for an hour or turn on the essential oil diffuser for invigorating stimulation, set the mood. Even simple pleasures like a new set of headphones or matching fine-tip markers can add some fun to your workstation.
For many people, working from home is more than a trend. It’s a new way to experience a healthier pace in life. Without the long commutes in traffic, employees gain more time to spend in more meaningful areas. Even when the money and time saved become mere standards, use these ideas to maintain a sense of novelty through your work-from-home experience.
