Now, that employers are allowing and looking into hiring staff to work for long periods, or even exclusively, from home, it’s a good idea to think about how we can make our homes less distracting and more work-focused, at least during the day.

Search for a “recruiter near me”, go there and you’ll see that they have at least a handful of working from home or remote offers on the table for you.

But, ask anyone that’s been working from home, and you’ll see that, at least during the beginning of their remote careers, they had a tough time. Either the mental shift or even the ergonomics of your workspace at home, making the change is always harder than it appears.

So, let’s get over four proven methods that will help you better adjust yourself for working at the comfort at your own home (plot twist, PJs all day isn’t that good).

Invest money in a high-quality office chair, as you’ll spend significant time sitting.

Number one investment for anyone that’s working from home is actually to get yourself a nice, quality chair that you can spend eight hours working on comfortably.

While most of us understand the importance of a chair, we also find it hard to justify spending $700 on a chair.

And yes, it’s indeed a huge investment, we still believe it to be a worthwhile one. Having a great posture and a comfortable workspace will allow you to do your job better, and most importantly, you won’t have to deal with back pain from sitting around too much.

Make a clear separation between the workspace in your home and your free time.

When you’re spending all day at home, it’s hard for your brain to separate when it’s work time and when it’s playtime.

Choose a corner in your home and make it your workplace. That way whenever you go work your mind is more focused and you realize it’s time to focus and work. And vice versa, after work you can truly relax because you know you’re off duty.

It’s always better to overcommunicate to colleagues rather than let a detail slip.

When you’re working from home, it’s always best to be extra clear in your communications in emails, Slack, Skype, or whatever chatting app you’re using.

Moreover, add an emoji! While many people will argue it’s not professional, working with people who’ve never seen you in real life can be tough and you may come out sounding the wrong way.

So, make sure you always overcommunicate. In your emails, or through chat, be extra clear and go into detail about what you’re saying. And if words don’t cut it, screenshots should do the job.

Don’t work late nights. It’s really bad for you!

While it may make you feel more productive, or look like you’re hustling, working late nights is exactly the opposite of this.

Soon enough you’ll start to feel the burnout and creativity is the first to go out the door. So make sure you’re setting strict work hours and don’t read any emails or chats after, let’s say 6 PM. Instead, focus on hobbies and doing what you love.

© New To HR