6 ways to beat working from home isolation
Don’t get isolated working from home in winter
I know from my own experience that the greatest challenge of working from home is isolation.
Not getting enough input from other people is fatal to motivation, productivity and self-esteem. So how do you stay sane working from home?
Here are some simple tips that could make a big difference to your experience of working from home. (And they don’t include Jelly or coworking!)
- Book phone calls for the start of your working day. If you make contact with the outside world as soon as you start work, you’ll immediately feel part of a larger community and more motivated to achieve all day.
- Get out of the house at least once a day. It’s tempting to feel you should keep on working, but make time to get some fresh air, even if it’s only a walk down to the paper shop. Getting out of your familiar four walls is refreshing and a small reward for working hard.
- Make the most of your daily contact with people. Most of us bump into other people when we’re working from home, whether it’s the postman, neighbours or other mums at the school gates. A quick chat can put things back into perspective when you can’t see the wood for the trees.
- Mix business and pleasure. You don’t have a boss looking over your shoulder so treat yourself to lunch out after a meeting, go window shopping between appointments or meet a friend for a coffee. It pays dividends when you’re back at your desk.
- Find someone you can confide in. It might be a peer, colleague, associate, someone you can trust who will share your triumphs and disasters and provide applause or support. And of course it’s just as important that you do the same for them!
- Join a professional group. It’s vital to keep up with developments in your industry and so much easier if you join a group that circulates information and meets up every so often. It might be the place you find your confidant ( see above).
Some of these suggestions may suit your situation and personality better than others, so choose the ones you feel most comfortable with and adapt them to your own circumstances. And let us know in the comments if you’ve developed your own unique solutions to the challenges of working from home alone.
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In my work from home experiences, creating a schedule or routine has worked well for me. Work can be unpredictable, but I try to stick as closely to my schedule as possible. I make sure to allot time for exercise breaks, family/friends, and just plain ole me time.
Yes, a routine is good. It seems the brain will click more easily into work mode if it gets into the habit at a certain time and place! I also like to disrupt my routine occasionally so I don’t get bored 🙂