Did you start working from home during the pandemic and just...never really made a full return to the office?
Those conditions accelerated a transition that had already been brewing for years with the advent of new digital platforms. We hadn't strictly needed to be in the workplace to work for quite a while, but Covid provided the push to break the social custom to trekking to an office or other place of work for many of us.
Millions of people now work from home as the default. We've discovered the benefits - no tiring commute, a better work-life balance, less money wasted on essential travel - and the drawbacks such as an increased sense of isolation and weaker working relationships. Many of us can't imagine returning to office life full time.
As someone who has held hybrid or remote jobs even before then, I've been around the neighbourhood block a few times with home working. While it can seem daunting or isolating to begin with, with more jobs now recruiting remotely, learning to love working from home can be an incredibly rewarding experience.
A mindset shift, coupled with a few practical strategies, can help you embrace working from home - and certainly in the case of busy working parents is one way to establish a better work-life balance.
Love Where You Live (And Work...)
When the home becomes the workplace as well, you see a lot more of it in an average week. It becomes even more important to really love your space, and some small changes can really enhance what you get out of the physical space around you.
When the Mr and I first decided to renovate our Edwardian home, it had potential...and that was about it. Over the next five years, we poured ourselves into transforming the space from three neglected bedsit flats back to a family home. The end result, luckily, is a home that we don't mind spending extra time in. But it doesn't always have to be a dramatic shift. Little changes can be just as critical in making your space fit for purpose.
For the past 6 years of working from home at least partially, I would set up my laptop for the day in the open plan kitchen and family room. There were some benefits - I looked out on the garden down to the waterfront, and I was near the coffee machine - but over time it became clear it wasn't the best idea. Not only was spending my working day hunched over a computer on a hard dining chair giving me neck, back and shoulder pain, but as we spent the majority of our time as a family in this room too, I felt like I was living pretty much most of the time in just one room of the house!
Changing our spare bedroom into more of a home office wasn't drastic - it meant purchasing a proper desk and chair and accessories like a laptop riser and a decent desk lamp - but its completely changed how I feel. I love my beautiful calm little working space, but I also like the fact I can shut the door at the end of the day.
Adding small touches like plants, cushions, and favourite prints eases the Monday morning working blues and means I'm taking better care of my physical and mental wellbeing. So make the effort to map out a space just for work that you're happy to be in, whether that's a pull out desk that can fold away when you clock off, or turning under the stairs into a home office.
Create A Routine That Makes Working Work For You
One of the things that can be a little disorientating when you work from home is the lack of defined structure. Unlike office work, where your day is defined by the rituals of morning coffee, lunch breaks and watercooler catch-ups, these time markers are all within your own control when you work from home.
A routine provides a comfortable structure, and helps to kick your brain into the 'work' mindset. The fun part is, you're much freer to create your own daily routine that works with your natural productivity rhythms.
For me, I do my best deep thinking in the morning. I'll get up and out early to the gym, come back and sort the kids out for their school day, grab a coffee and then launch into one of the chunkier tasks on my to-do list before virtual meetings kick in.
At lunch time, I make sure to take a break away from my desk walking our spaniel, Indy, and preparing and eating lunch downstairs. It's back to the home office for a list of afternoon tasks that tend to be more routine, like responding to emails, and I grab a cup of tea before ending my day and going out to collect the kids.
Working from home has let me develop a working day that really does work for me. So find whatever pattern helps to enhance your focus and prevent burnout.
Flexibility Is Your Friend
One of the greatest perks of working from home - and the reason I doubt I could ever go back to full-time on location - is the flexibility it offers. Embrace this freedom by switching between personal and working tasks more fluidly. I will often put in an hour at 7am before my kids wake up, which is a great slice of interrupted focus time to get ahead on work tasks.
At lunchtime, I often take the chance to pop a load of laundry on or run around with the vaccuum - which means less housework to catch up on at the weekends. Use the time you save on a commute to put towards self-care or learning a new skill, or just to indulge whatever passion makes you happy.
I'll happily start super early and then enjoy the fact I can do the school run with no time pressure. If you fully embrace the flexibility, you can get closer toward that mythical work-life balance so many of us are missing, and enhance your overall wellbeing.
Put Energy Into Virtual Connections
One of the few downsides to being a 'digital nomad' is that it can be a bit of a lonely existence. It is a case of having to put in the effort to nurture virtual connections more effectively. It's important to make time for virtual coffee breaks with colleagues, even if you feel busy and it would be easy to skip.
Share photos of what you did at the weekend, swap recipes and gossip about what you're watching on Netflix using dedicated channels on Teams, Slack and similar platforms. And if you really dread being alone? Virtual co-working is now a thing. Yep, you can log onto a Zoom call alongside others across the world being 'alone but together' as you work! I like the focus channels on YouTube that provide a scenic view and some gentle background music to work to, as well as a Pomodoro timer to help with productivity.
Prioritise other professional interactions too, like joining live webinars like the Flow State Cafe or commenting on articles on LinkedIn. I've also found some amazing groups, like Mums In Marketing that can provide professional contacts and companionship virtually. These things are all important for growing a sense of community and combatting feelings of loneliness.
Love Yourself, Mama!
The importance of self-care for working mamas is something I will never tire of shouting about. The blurred boundaries of working from home can quickly lead to feeling burnt out, so its hugely important to be strict on self-care time. Schedule it into your calendar and honour it like any other appointment.
From very simple things like making sure you get up and physically move around during the day, to making a window for a hobby, reading a book or even a sneaky bath on your lunch break - filling your cup can only enhance your productivity, creativity and overall job satisfaction.
Adjusting to the working from home life isn't without challenges, but you can develop a deep love for the remote working lifestyle. By creating a space you're proud to be in, sticking to a routine you create, fully embracing flexibility, and making time for yourself and virtual connections, you can fall for this new way of life.
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