Remote work is becoming the new norm for many as businesses grant their employees the choice to work from home during COVID-19. Doing so is a way to encourage social distancing and minimize the spread of the virus.

However, there are things we need to do to help build a more sustainable and healthy work routine in our homes every day. Below, you will find a few helpful tips for accomplishing just that.

Your Morning Routine

This is what it is all about. Your morning routine can greatly impact how the rest of the day will play out when you are working from home. Ultimately, you want to find what works the best for you and your situation and figure out a way to stick to it. 

First, start out by waking up at the same time every day. When you work from home, you will find it tempting to sleep in a bit longer. Don’t let the urge to stay in bed negatively affect the rest of your day.

Set Boundaries

Next, you need to set boundaries when working from home. This means not going online right away. Set a boundary between your work life and your home life. If you work in an office, you wouldn’t directly go there before you get ready for the day, so the same should apply to any work-from-home situation.

Get up, take a shower, have some breakfast, drink coffee, and mentally prepare for the rest of your day. Don’t just jump headfirst into work in your pajamas or else you may find the day more unproductive than you thought it would be.

Set Goals

You should also think of goals you want to achieve by the end of the day. Write down your work tasks and household chores so you can determine how you should manage your time. If you choose to start with your house-related tasks first, go through your list, set realistic goals, and find a way to get through them before moving onto your work tasks.

This is when it becomes important to prioritize but also keep work and home separate. See to it that your task lists are short and manageable so you do not become overwhelmed.

Create A Dedicated Work Area

When working from home, you should have a separate area in which to work. It is best to have a space in the home that you can easily leave behind at the end of the day, whether it is an enclosed room or another type of workspace you have created. Once work is over, your time in that area should be too. 

Learn When To Stop Working

One of the biggest challenges of working from home is knowing when to officially stop working for the day. When you work in an office, you have a set schedule and a fixed time of the day to go home. It isn’t quite the same when you are already at home. To help you stop working and transition back into home life, give yourself an evening commute. This means placing an end time on work.

If you have a spouse who works outside of the home, for example, you can choose an end time that corresponds with their schedule. It also helps to plan for something after work such as going for a run or completing errands.

If you can manage to get into a steady routine and start your work-from-home day off on the right foot, you will find it much easier to manage and balance your social distance work and your home life. All it takes is finding the right balance, developing a routine that works for you, and sticking to it.