Workplace Wellbeing when Working from Home 2

Create a realistic work pace

You've set up your ergonomic work area, and its time to settle down to get some work done. Because you are not in your usual work surroundings with your colleagues (and no bosses either), your routine is going to be out of whack. No set break times nor other people's schedules to work around, maybe no one to have a coffee with at break time nor is your much looked forward to skim-milk cappuccino with hazelnut syrup available at the cafe next door. What to do?

You need new habits for working at home. If you don't consciously decide and develop new habits, they will form themselves. Before you realise it, you may have developed unhealthy and unproductive habits that sap both your energy and your time. So, now is the time to make some decisions about how you want to work at home.

To get started, I recommend some version of the Pomodoro Technique.

Your new work Habit # 1:

1. Decide on the task at hand.
2. Set your timer for 25 minutes, which is the official one Pomodoro, or unit of work time.
3. Work on the task.
4. When the timer signals, you place a tick on a post-it note, whiteboard or something convenient.
5. If you have fewer than four checkmarks, take a short break of around 3 to 5 minutes)
6. Reset the timer for 25 minutes and resume your work.
7. Repeat until you add the fourth tick. This time you get a more extended break, 15 to 30 minutes break, maybe morning-tea.
8. When you return, wipe the whiteboard clean to start afresh, and go back to Step one and repeat.

Your lunch break will fit into this routine as well, but take a bit longer 45-60 minutes, and if possible, take your lunch out in the fresh air to eat, walk or another outside exercise.
During each break, try doing a different stretch or exercise, body twists, shoulder shrugs, push-ups, crunches, squats, tricep dips, jumping jacks anything that gets your body moving is a good idea.

Time management is for pacing your work and building in healthy self-care habits.  The Pomodoro Technique works so well because it helps you accomplish tasks, exercise your body, and give your mind a break as well. You'll also benefit from an improved memory and attention span. Don't forget to note where you are up to and what to do when you get back, so you don't lose your productivity momentum. For more information, see my recent Blog, What was I doing?

Play around with the timing and activities to find what works best for you find what works best.

When I have a list of short or varied tasks to complete I, personally, I seem to work better with one-hour units of work.  For my Deep Work sessions, I prefer 90-minute units.

I do have to let you in on my secret focus helper, which works brilliantly for me. It is called Focus at Will, my magic productivity booster, especialy for Deep Work.  I highly recommend you give it a try.

Summary:  This is criticalevery houror so, get up and move around  and stretch. Get a (healthy) snack, walk around the room, go to the bathroom, walk around the room, stretch, get a drink of water. Drink lots of water - get the water habit, too!

This brings us to our next topic, lots of Tiny Habits that will have a massive effect on your wellbeing working from home.

Have you taken the New Updated PERMAH Survey yet?