How to Adapt Fast to a Work From Home Setup

Having trouble adapting to a work from home setup due to the coronavirus lockdown? Learn amazing tips and tricks to transition to a work from home environment seamlessly. Whether what you need is a standing desk or simply superb planning, we got it all covered.

Success in working from home has a lot to do with planning. You need to find a dedicated working area and utilize the right tools to perfect your tasks. Have you tried using a standing desk? Make sure you don't neglect yourself. You might as well embrace the coronavirus lockdown as you discover endless benefits to a work from home setup.

How exactly do you start adapting to a work from home environment? Below we share some of the best hacks to help you transition with ease after years of working in an office. It’s all about having the right mindset and knowing which tools to tap.

Plan Your Setup, Plan Your Day, Plan Everything

“A goal without a plan is just a wish.”

If your goal is to work from home like a pro, you need to execute a plan that maps out all the key aspects of your new setup. This will help you determine whether you are meeting certain goals. When there is nothing to measure, everything becomes easily acceptable until you realize that things are not working out the way they should be.

So have a clear roadmap and enumerate the ways to move forward. What will be your schedule? Will you use a laptop or desktop? Where do you position your electric standing desk? When do you take your breaks? Your answer to these questions will serve as your benchmarks that will guide you on how to move forward.

Ultimately, plan your work and work your plan. Make sure that you stick to the plan; otherwise, how else can you reach your goal? This is especially crucial when you work from home and distractions are aplenty. The kitchen will call, the toddlers will fall, and household chores will be on a roll. But if you work the plan, only you can dominate your day. You might stray a bit due to emergent issues but the plan will always guide you to the goal.

Have a Dedicated Workspace, Use a Standing Desk

Identify an area in your home that could serve as your exclusive workspace. It could be a separate room or a corner of the house with a window and less traffic. Studies show that natural light (which typically comes from a window) boosts creativity and productivity. Fresh air also improves cognitive performance. If the window has to be closed, at least get a plant.

Use a standing desk to upgrade your workspace. Studies show that standing desks reduce tiredness and enhance work efficiency. They also combat  sedentary lifestyle, which is an even bigger trap for workers from home (i.e. when home is the office, movement becomes even more limited, which poses significant health risks).

But remember: whether you invest on an electric standing desk or any other type of standing desk, always make sure that you use it properly. Doing otherwise will risk harm to yourself and to the quality of the work that you do. You must never stand all day nor force yourself to complete all tasks strictly while using the standing desk.

Utilize the Correct Online Tools

Utilizing the correct online tools becomes even more critical when you work from home. You now work in isolation (although probably not in spirit), so you need to have the best tools to help you become efficient while simultaneously becoming independent. The work from home setup is highly reliant on internet. Therefore, online tools will be a game-changer.

Identify programs that can best help you fulfill specific functions. The following are only a few of the many options available for a variety of work from home tasks:

Make a list of all the apps and programs that you need in order to ensure fluid workflow. More importantly, if a task requires participation from your teammates, find a way to align your tools to avoid complications in work processes.

Also, keep in mind that software and hardware must work together. Pay attention to how your machine behaves when running a particular program. When tech issues occur, you have a choice of upgrading your equipment or you can simply find another program that will work best with your current hardware.

Stay Connected – Humans are Born Wired for Connection

Working from home does not mean working alone – at least not in spirit. Humans are born wired for connection. Therefore, it is essential to maintain connection with people for optimum mental health and overall well-being.

For some people, working from home may lead to a sense of isolation and disconnection. This is a challenge that no amount of electric standing desks or whatever premium tool could fix no matter what. Some are just really accustomed to a steady rate of social interactions. Add to this the fact that some workers perform best when placed in an environment of feedback and encouragement, which may not always be possible with a work from home setup.

While it’s true that online chats and video conferences can never compensate for face-to-face interactions, staying connected via non-personal methods is the gold standard, especially while the coronavirus pandemic rages. Plus, there are always tricks to make online communication work.

Experts say that the key to make online chat as good as personal is to make it personal. This means not holding back from sharing a sense of your personality when communicating with someone online. The advice is to be real, to keep it natural, and to minimize scripted replies. In order to keep the conversation engaged, ask questions. Humor will also go a long way to keep discussions interesting and to brighten up someone’s day.

So make it a habit to stay connected with people. Despite current social distancing rules in place, make it a goal to catch up with your teammates on a daily basis – online. If you won’t do it for your own sanity, at least do it for the other person’s mental health.

Self-care: Love Yourself

“Your relationship with yourself sets the tone for every other relationship you have.”

Do not ever neglect yourself. A work from home setup is not supposed to be a trade for unhealthy work habits. Be mindful of the time you spend at work and have the conviction to stop when the workday is done. Set boundaries and resist the temptation to overwork, thinking that it’s okay because you are working from home anyway. No, that is not okay.

Be careful not to deny yourself quality resources. Just because you work from home does not mean that you can forego investing on top-of-the-line ergonomic chairs, or modern desk lamps, or an electric standing desk. If you live in Canada, standing desks range anywhere from as low as $43 to well above $1,000. They will cost you, but you should not be afraid to spend. Quality resources come at a price, but they will also likely translate to quality work performance and outcomes.

Stay healthy

A work from home setup is a perfect opportunity to do occasional stretching throughout the day. This is also a good time to level up your food choices because home-cooked food becomes more readily available. Don’t forget to take short breaks, including possible nap times, which can restore alertness and improve information retention.

Finally, embrace your circumstances and maintain a positive outlook. Canada alone lost more than a million jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic. With a work from home setup, you can continue your career as you support your family and the economy.

Optimism plays a key role in how to adapt fast to a work from home setup. If you follow the tips and tricks above and cultivate the right mindset, you’ll be working from home with the greatest ease in no time.

About Us

MotionGrey is a Canadian standing desk company that specializes in ergonomic furniture. We supply and install only the best quality standing desks and ergonomic chairs in the country.

Our products are designed with wellness as the focal point. From our electric standing desks to our office and gaming chairs, we deliver best value by putting your health, safety, and comfort as top priority. Boost your creativity and level up work performance. We want you to create great outcomes so we’re providing you only the best tools to make them possible.
 
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