Working from home: Coping with the new normal

It doesn’t matter what publication you read, the ‘new normal’ is a phrase which we all commonly see.

While it covers many strands, one of the big elements for many of us is working from home. In some companies, this was almost a taboo subject. Now, times have turned on their head, and some firms have decided that the concept has been proven, and they will allow employees to do this on a full-time basis.

At first, for those of us who weren’t used to the practice, it would be fair to say that it was a rather exciting time. After all, the thought of rolling out of bed in your pajamas, right to your workstation, almost sounded too good to be true.

However, the novelty soon wears off. There are drawbacks, and some people find it more difficult than others to cope. Today is all about taking on some of these issues and showing how you can make it easier on yourself, and perhaps your family, as you take to the WFH phenomenon.

A division between business and personal is essential

This first point can be very difficult for some people to satisfy. After all, if you reside in a studio or one-bedroom apartment, carving out a private working space can be nigh-on-impossible.

However, try whatever you can to make it happen. The last thing you want is to be working and enjoying your down-time in the comfort of your new-office.

For those of you without spare room or office facilities, look towards more temporary solutions. This might be a fold-down desk, or something just so you can shut out work for the day and enjoy your evening without the thought of work blighting your mind.

Sure, you might have to make some changes to your room to make this happen, but now with the low cost of storage it is fairly straightforward to put together a short-term working area that isn’t going to cross the line with your private life.

Everybody needs to understand your working practices

Something else that people working from home struggle with is a lack of understanding from their family members, or those that they live with.

Many believe that if someone is at home, they can turn off as and when they please.

As it turns out, this isn’t the case in the slightest. This is a working day, and one of your biggest frustrations can be when you get pulled from it at regular intervals.

Make sure that everyone understands the arrangements and know that this is the new normal for your working day.

A routine is paramount to WFH success

Following on from the previous point, you also need to understand your new normal.

Routines are crucial in most walks of life, and the new working normal is one of these.

The thought of rolling out of bed to your laptop may have been thrilling at the start, but it’s hardly the idea of a routine.

Try and piece together a process that allows you to work from home easily, and seamlessly transition to your non-working life.

Working from home: Coping with the new normal

It doesn’t matter what publication you read, the ‘new normal’ is a phrase which we all commonly see.

While it covers many strands, one of the big elements for many of us is working from home. In some companies, this was almost a taboo subject. Now, times have turned on their head, and some firms have decided that the concept has been proven, and they will allow employees to do this on a full-time basis.

At first, for those of us who weren’t used to the practice, it would be fair to say that it was a rather exciting time. After all, the thought of rolling out of bed in your pajamas, right to your workstation, almost sounded too good to be true.

However, the novelty soon wears off. There are drawbacks, and some people find it more difficult than others to cope. Today is all about taking on some of these issues and showing how you can make it easier on yourself, and perhaps your family, as you take to the WFH phenomenon.

A division between business and personal is essential

This first point can be very difficult for some people to satisfy. After all, if you reside in a studio or one-bedroom apartment, carving out a private working space can be nigh-on-impossible.

However, try whatever you can to make it happen. The last thing you want is to be working and enjoying your down-time in the comfort of your new-office.

For those of you without spare room or office facilities, look towards more temporary solutions. This might be a fold-down desk, or something just so you can shut out work for the day and enjoy your evening without the thought of work blighting your mind.

Sure, you might have to make some changes to your room to make this happen, but now with the low cost of storage it is fairly straightforward to put together a short-term working area that isn’t going to cross the line with your private life.

Everybody needs to understand your working practices

Something else that people working from home struggle with is a lack of understanding from their family members, or those that they live with.

Many believe that if someone is at home, they can turn off as and when they please.

As it turns out, this isn’t the case in the slightest. This is a working day, and one of your biggest frustrations can be when you get pulled from it at regular intervals.

Make sure that everyone understands the arrangements and know that this is the new normal for your working day.

A routine is paramount to WFH success

Following on from the previous point, you also need to understand your new normal.

Routines are crucial in most walks of life, and the new working normal is one of these.

The thought of rolling out of bed to your laptop may have been thrilling at the start, but it’s hardly the idea of a routine.

Try and piece together a process that allows you to work from home easily, and seamlessly transition to your non-working life.