New To Working From Home As An Adult? Here’s What You Need To Know

The current situation we’re all facing has changed every aspect of our personal and professional lives. In a nutshell, this pandemic has taken every second of our lives, thrown them in a blender, and turned it on full blast. 

We understand that there are more serious things happening around the world that are more important than our personal schedule, and we fully support the decision to quarantine and flatten the curve. However, that doesn’t make anything easier and we’re all having to take a new approach to the things we are doing in our lives. 

As offices shut down and people start working remotely from their own home, many people are getting their first taste of the WFH (work-from-home) lifestyle and my guess is they are finding out that it’s not as easy as they first expected. 

In fact, working from home can be difficult and requires people to take a serious look at how they approach their day. Here are some MAJOR factors to consider when you get used to working from home:

Exercise

You may not be conscious of it, but we get a lot of exercise in the run of the day through our daily commutes and moving around our workplace. When you work from home, you don’t get this daily dose of exercise and it can leave you feeling sluggish and lazy. 

When you work from home, you should make a plan so you can continue to get the exercise you need on a daily basis. It will leave you feeling much better with yourself and should lead to you being more productive in the work you do. 

If you have a treadmill (or a different piece of fitness equipment at home), then you should be all set. If not, you should consider purchasing a treadmill on Amazon and have it delivered to your house so you can get your workout in between conference calls while working from home.

Fresh Air

Again, that daily commute you’re used to – along with your trips to the coffee shop, etc. – usually provide you with your daily dose of fresh air. Now, as you work from home, you don’t get that through your regular routine and you need to make plans in order to get outside when you need it. 

Many people might feel like they can’t get out for a walk as we’re all on shut down, but that’s just not true. Health experts are saying you can get out to enjoy some fresh air when you need it. Just be safe and be smart.

Caffeine

For some reason, I find I need more caffeine when working from home. Maybe it’s the lack of stimulating conversation with co-workers or the daily commute that served as a wake-up process for me – but whatever it is, it’s been a real battle. 

I find myself feeling sluggish and fighting the urge to lie down at different points during the day and it can really (negatively) affect my productivity. 

That’s why I purchased a fancy new coffee machine that helps me create a number of delicious caffeinated drinks (it’s the Jura Impressa A9 for anyone who is looking for an excellent, affordable machine), and it’s really helped. I look forward to having my next cup of coffee and it has helped me take a short break when needed.

Good Food

One thing that can be tough right now, is having a fully stocked kitchen with food that will keep you full and energized. When working at an office, I could grab a snack at the coffee shop when I needed one, or I could visit a local restaurant. 

At home, you are in control of what you eat and you need to be prepared to make yourself a good meal. If you’re not much of a cook (like myself), then maybe you should consider finding a convection microwave so you can heat up simple food and reheat take out you ordered from a local restaurant.

Productivity

I worked remotely from my own home before the pandemic forced us all to do it. I had the luxury of being a remote worker for the last year and it helped me get a head start on this new world we live in. 

Most people, when I would tell them I worked from home, thought I just sat on my couch in my pajamas with my laptop – which is really not true. 

Like everyone else, I have deadlines and goals set up by my boss, and I need to stay productive. Time can pass quickly when you work from home and it can be easy to watch a week pass by as you fail to reach your goals. 

You need to figure out a way to stay productive, stay motivated, and to reach the goals set out for you. Failure to do this could lead to you losing your job or being laid off.

The End: Working From Home is Great (if you can be effective)

I always hate to scare people away from remote work because it can be a great thing if done correctly. My main worry is that people will underestimate the difficulties associated with working from home and not take the necessary precautions in order to be an effective remote worker. 

If you are an adult who isn’t used to remote working, then you will need to make some major changes. Take everything I’ve mentioned into consideration and figure out a routine that works for you on an ongoing basis. 

Beware of the dangers of remote work and try your best to separate your professional and personal life. Stay home and stay safe!