Efficiently Work from Home!

As many of us know, working from home has loads of perks, from the increased freedom to no daily commute, to the flexibility of tasks. But as many of us quickly learned over the past year, working from home is not without its own set of challenges. The lines between work and home can easily blur, leaving us wondering where the day went and what we accomplished. If this sounds familiar, read on to hear some tips on how to be more efficient in your day to help you live a more successful work-life balance. 

1. Clearly define your workspace — set up a home office, ensuring it has everything you need to be comfortable and relaxed (desk, computer, chair, printer, candles, etc.). Before you sit down to work, do a quick check for anything that pulls your attention, like unfinished tasks or clutter. If so, remove or tuck them away for later. Remember, your office is a space to be productive, creative and is your sanctuary, so treated it as such. 
2. Make a schedule and stick to it! — yes, this can be a challenge, but this will assist you in being constructive and able to meet your goals. The important thing with creating a schedule is to make sure it suits you, is reasonable and is simple to continue. If you spend more time creating your schedule for the week or month than you do on your work, it defeats the purpose of working within a schedule.  
3. Deal with distractions — let’s be honest, distractions are a part of life and show up no matter what we do, so it becomes a matter of learning to manage and reduce them where ever we can. If you know that your kids need your attention when they come home, then book it in as a work break, allowing you to focus on their needs and avoid the guilt of not being present with work or them. 
4. Set boundaries — this can be difficult, as it is not just the boundaries with others but also the boundaries we need for ourselves. It is ok to say ‘no’ and not feel obligated to do and be everything to everyone. Knowing what we can manage and what our limits are will help. Also, be flexible; sometimes ‘fires’ arise needing attention, the ability to go with the flow and adapt quickly will serve you well.  
5. Manage your stress levels — at the end of the day, whether you work in the office, from home, or both, stress can cause an added layer to our life that can lead to other issues. Find out what techniques work best for you in reducing your stress levels. This may be done through exercise, mediation, taking more breaks, music, dance, etc. Also, instilling healthy eating habits and a goodnight’s sleep will aid in overall health and wellbeing. 

 
To dive in further on finding the ‘right’ work-life balance for you, visit the link below from the Government of Canada. https://www.csps-efpc.gc.ca/tools/jobaids/finding-work-life-balance-eng.aspx
 
Happy balancing! 

Effortlessly, 
Theresa