As most of us have been working from home for a while, some of us may have gotten into a strong routine while others are faced with fatigue.
You may find yourself staring at a screen all day and yet, not ending the workday with a sense of fulfillment. Here are five ways to give your at-home work routine a quick refresh.
1. Start your day with intentional journaling.
Journaling in the morning is a great way to set your daily goals. You can journal in a notebook or by using the Notes app on your phone.
It’s important that you write down what you hope to accomplish during the day or the week. It can be something as simple as getting on the phone with someone you’ve been meaning to talk to or scheduling a team-bonding meeting. You can also use this time to write down your overall goals for the upcoming days, weeks, or months.
There are no hard and fast rules for journaling, but it’s more about your general aspirations and the steps you plan to take to achieve them. You will be surprised to find that when you write down your aspirations, you are more likely to accomplish them.
2. Create a tidy workspace.
By preparing your workspace every morning before you sit down, you are also mentally preparing yourself for the day ahead. Setting up your desk with a cup of coffee and organizing your stack of papers will help you feel calm and mentally prepared to tackle whatever the workday holds for you.
However, if you like to float around between the office, the kitchen, and the couch during the day, that’s no problem. Just make sure that before you settle down into any workspace, that you prepare it according to your preferences and needs. Surround yourself with objects that make you calm and set up an environment that provide little to no distractions.
This also means that if you do decide to work on the couch, try to keep the remote as far away as possible so you’re not tempted to sneak in a few minutes of TV.
3. Block off time for work and breaks.
Set a timer for two hours, during which you will work on whatever it is you need to do. When those two hours are up, take a quick break and set the timer for an additional two hours of work.
Doing this throughout the day will help give you enough time so you can focus but it will also give your eyes a break and prevent you from staring at your screen for five hours straight.
4. Use breaks to refresh your mind.
This step goes hand-in-hand with the last one.
After your two-hour work block, take about 15 or 30 minutes for yourself. You can spend that time doing something as simple as getting a snack and talking to your roommate or you can take this time to truly refresh yourself with a quick yoga session.
If you’ve been working with a screen the whole time, I recommend trying to do something that does not involve your computer. Our eyes need breaks too, so try to do something that exercises something else other than your eyes, such as your hands by playing an instrument.
5. End your day with self-care
Self-care does not need to be a grand affair. It can be as simple as incorporating some relaxing elements into your nightly routine may help you feel rewarded for a good day’s work.
Take a bath or light a candle while doing meditation or enjoy a glass of wine while watching a movie. By ending your day with a small act of self-care, you are reaffirming to yourself that you deserve to feel good daily. You will feel so relaxed that by the next morning, that you will be energized and ready to start your day.
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The ability to work from home has proved to be very useful for many people during this time, but that doesn’t mean it’s always going to be easy. Follow these steps to ensure that you are being the most productive while easing any tension during your workday.
Reflect & Refresh 