How to work from home without feeling too overwhelmed

Working from home sounds great – but what was happy news at first can soon become stressful if not dealt with rightly.

How to work from home without feeling too overwhelmed

Work-life balance is hard to manage even in a normal scenario, but now with the lockdown and global health crisis, it’s a different ball game. To keep our spirits up, it’s good to stay positive and look at the silver lining of working from home. After all, daily annoyances such as waking up early, long commutes, and making small-talk in office have all been put on hold. 

However, since there’s no clarity on how long this situation will continue, it’s essential to be strategic about working from home so you can find it sustainable rather than overwhelming because it too has its flip side. 

1. Set a routine

While it may be tempting to wake up 5 minutes before a work call, indulge in a quick nap after lunch, or take hour-long breaks multiple times, these are some fundamental mistakes that you should avoid when working from home. Of course, your schedule will naturally change while under lockdown, but it’s still important to have a structured routine in place so you don’t feel disoriented. 

Related: 5 Ways you can get the most out of your 9-to-5 job and build wealth

2. Pick a specific corner

As inviting as your bed might be, it’s not prudent to work from there. Not only will it make you feel like procrastinating, sitting in one spot the whole day and doing everything from there – sleeping, eating, working, chilling – will not be the best for your back or your spirits. Instead, pick a quiet spot in your home – whether it’s the dining table or a desk in your room – and set up your workspace there. 

Related: These 7 perks can give you better job satisfaction and work-life balance

3. Have a chat with your family

It’s important to sit down and have a conversation with your family members or flatmates – whoever you’re living with – about your work commitments and schedule. It’s natural for them to reach out to you for a favour or a conversation because you’re in front of them. If you make it clear to them that you won’t be available until a certain time every day, you won’t be disturbed. 

4. Inform your team members 

At the end of each working day, let your boss, team members, or the specific person you’ve been working with know that you are switching off for the day. When you make it clear that you’re done with work for the day and are going off-grid until next morning, it allows you to mentally switch from work mode to home mode, and then focus on other things such as home chores and family time. 

Related: Do you need to insure your job?

5. Remember to take a breather

When there’s a lot of work, and you’re sitting alone in a corner, it’s easy to lose track of time, skip meals, or be tempted to work twice as much as you would in office. Remember, just because you’re at home doesn’t mean you have to be productive every minute. So take short breaks to chat with your family (as you would with your co-workers), eat your meals away from your workspace, and maybe it’s okay to sneak in a quick power nap on some days!

Working from home can be a blessing and a true advantage if you take care of these little things. But do remember that Fridays are still FriYays – so what if you can’t step out? Schedule video call with friends, plan a movie night, and make other fun things to do for the weekend – right from home. Lost your job? Here are 5 things you must not do 

Work-life balance is hard to manage even in a normal scenario, but now with the lockdown and global health crisis, it’s a different ball game. To keep our spirits up, it’s good to stay positive and look at the silver lining of working from home. After all, daily annoyances such as waking up early, long commutes, and making small-talk in office have all been put on hold. 

However, since there’s no clarity on how long this situation will continue, it’s essential to be strategic about working from home so you can find it sustainable rather than overwhelming because it too has its flip side. 

1. Set a routine

While it may be tempting to wake up 5 minutes before a work call, indulge in a quick nap after lunch, or take hour-long breaks multiple times, these are some fundamental mistakes that you should avoid when working from home. Of course, your schedule will naturally change while under lockdown, but it’s still important to have a structured routine in place so you don’t feel disoriented. 

Related: 5 Ways you can get the most out of your 9-to-5 job and build wealth

2. Pick a specific corner

As inviting as your bed might be, it’s not prudent to work from there. Not only will it make you feel like procrastinating, sitting in one spot the whole day and doing everything from there – sleeping, eating, working, chilling – will not be the best for your back or your spirits. Instead, pick a quiet spot in your home – whether it’s the dining table or a desk in your room – and set up your workspace there. 

Related: These 7 perks can give you better job satisfaction and work-life balance

3. Have a chat with your family

It’s important to sit down and have a conversation with your family members or flatmates – whoever you’re living with – about your work commitments and schedule. It’s natural for them to reach out to you for a favour or a conversation because you’re in front of them. If you make it clear to them that you won’t be available until a certain time every day, you won’t be disturbed. 

4. Inform your team members 

At the end of each working day, let your boss, team members, or the specific person you’ve been working with know that you are switching off for the day. When you make it clear that you’re done with work for the day and are going off-grid until next morning, it allows you to mentally switch from work mode to home mode, and then focus on other things such as home chores and family time. 

Related: Do you need to insure your job?

5. Remember to take a breather

When there’s a lot of work, and you’re sitting alone in a corner, it’s easy to lose track of time, skip meals, or be tempted to work twice as much as you would in office. Remember, just because you’re at home doesn’t mean you have to be productive every minute. So take short breaks to chat with your family (as you would with your co-workers), eat your meals away from your workspace, and maybe it’s okay to sneak in a quick power nap on some days!

Working from home can be a blessing and a true advantage if you take care of these little things. But do remember that Fridays are still FriYays – so what if you can’t step out? Schedule video call with friends, plan a movie night, and make other fun things to do for the weekend – right from home. Lost your job? Here are 5 things you must not do 

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