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The past year and a half have been completely out of the ordinary for all of us. At the start of 2020, we couldn’t have predicted how quickly and how dramatically our lives would be changed as a direct result of the coronavirus and Covid-19 pandemic. Around the world, governments have implemented all sorts of rules and guidelines surrounding complete lockdowns, social distancing measures, and social isolation measures. This has all been in good faith to slow the spread of the virus and to protect the health of the global population. But it has, inevitably, wrought all sorts of change in our day-to-day lives. One major change that many of us have undergone is that we are no longer working in offices and are instead working at home.
Remote work has proven a simple way to minimize contact between people while still allowing businesses to operate on a day-to-day basis. As vaccines are being rolled out, many businesses are now questioning whether a return to the office is entirely necessary, seeing remote work as a simple way to save costs and an option that many staff favor too. If your business is considering a switch to permanently remote work, you may be looking for ways to make yourself more comfortable from home. For some of us, the change has been a big upheaval and you may be looking for simpler ways to work effectively without being in a professional and dedicated environment. In many ways, remote work is preferential. You don’t have to commute, saving you time and money. You can wear more comfortable clothes. You can still engage with your colleagues over instant chat and video chat. But you do need to remain productive and comfortable in your working environment. Here are a few tips that can help you to achieve this!
Create a Comfortable Working Space
First and foremost, focus on making your working space comfortable and productive. Don’t work from bed. Don’t work from the sofa. Instead, create a desk or table and invest in a comfortable office chair. You should also make sure that you have ergonomic equipment where possible, such as a wireless keyboard ergonomic, ergonomic mice, ergonomic chairs, and more. This will reduce the chances of repetitive strain injury and other issues.
Don’t Be Afraid to Speak Out
Finally, it’s important to note that you need to speak out to your manager, employer, or HR department if you are struggling with anything while working from home. Remember that you are not in the office, so others are less likely to notice cues that you are uncomfortable or struggling. You need to be proactive in reporting grievances or difficulties so that they can be resolved. Your team is there to support you, so no matter what you have on your mind, it’s always best to get it out and to see whether anything can be done about it. Make sure to phrase your issues well and to actively seek resolutions. Not only will this help resolve any problems that you’re facing, but it will show that you are being a proactive member of the team and could help those who are less likely to speak out too!
As you can see, working from home is going to entail a few changes and will always be different from working in office. But the good news is that there are plenty of ways to make the experience more enjoyable for yourself, as well as more comfortable on a day-to-day basis. Hopefully, some of the suggestions above will help to guide you in the right direction to make working from home work for you!
Really enjoyed your article—great post. Blessings and Peace!