It was about a year ago that the world was struck by the Coronavirus pandemic. This deadly virus has changed the way we interact with people, restricted our travel, and changed our daily habits. One of the significant changes that has happened to most people is that we have to work from home.
For some, working from home is seen as a blessing. They save money not having to commute to work, they are protecting themselves from getting Covid-19 because they do not have to work in the same office with their colleagues, and it has allowed them to spend more time with their families.
On the other hand, for others, working from home may be considered to be a nightmare. They can’t focus on their work because they are easily distracted by all the chores they have to do at home, their children have to be home schooled so they are constantly calling for help with math problems, English homework, and science projects.
They also have to get used to working in an environment that may not contain the furniture or equipment they need to make working from home a bit more suitable. They also worry about their colleagues or managers seeing dirty dishes in the sink or clothes hanging on an airer to dry in the background while they’re on a video call.
Working from home may be a challenge, but it doesn’t have to be a complete nightmare. There are things that you can do to make your work environment a little more comfortable. What you can do is create an inspiring work environment for yourself.
Ensure that you have the right tools and equipment to work from home.
If the company you work for has informed you that you need to work from home, make sure that they have equipped you with a work laptop, the software you need to work with, a mouse, a power cable and any other tools you need to access your company’s intranet and to communicate with your work colleagues.
If you have a learning difficulty or sight or hearing are impaired, then make sure that you inform your manager so that you are given the extra tools you need to do your job effectively.
Ensure that you have furniture that is suitable for your work environment.
We may not have been fully prepared to work from home. We did not think that we would be spending month after month sitting in a hard-backed chair working at a table that is too small or that has uneven legs that makes working extremely uncomfortable and difficult. You may not have the funds to buy an office chair or a table, but there are alternative solutions to this problem.
If your chair is causing you back pain or is hurting your bum, instead of emptying your wallet to buy an office chair, you could buy a seat cushion that helps to reduce back pain and to improve good posture if you have to sit for long periods. It’s definitely a lot cheaper than buying an office chair.
If you need a lot of space to do your work, instead of buying a new office desk, try rearranging your workspace. You can move the table near a shelf and clear space so that you can place your office equipment on the shelf. If your table is uneven, wedge an old book or a folded up sheet of paper the let is the shortest.
Ensure that you have proper lighting.
There may not be enough light in your work area so you may be straining your eyes to read documents, to write notes, and to type on your laptop. If you are experiencing this problem, you could purchase brighter light bulbs.
However, if the light is not close enough to where you do your work, you could purchase motion sensor lights that you can easily stick on the wall. These lights are battery-powered which reduces energy consumption because you only use them when they are required. They also provide bright light which makes your eyes feel more comfortable if the room is not bright enough for you to do your work.
Decorate your work space.
You may have been restricted in what you were allowed to place on your desk or hang on the walls at the office. But since you are now working from home, you can be more creative in how you decorate your workspace.
You can have picture frames of your family, hang up your favorite motivational and inspirational quotes, or hang up pictures of your favorite sports team, nature photos, or something funny to make you smile. Decorate your work area with things that motivate you and drive you to be more productive.
Change the background when you’re on video calls.
One thing I have noticed since I started working from home is the increase in the number of video calls that I have to make with my colleagues, managers and for training purposes.
Whether you make video calls on Zoom or Microsoft Teams, you can change the virtual background when you are on a call so that people will not be able to see the actual background of your home.
You can upload an image or choose from one of the virtual backgrounds from the default options. You can choose a beach, rainforest, winter, office, or simply have a blurred background. There are YouTube videos that show you how to change the virtual background on both Zoom and Microsoft Teams.
Take more frequent breaks.
When you are working from home, you don’t have to worry about your manager or colleagues watching your every move or asking you where you’re going or what you’re doing if you move away from your desk. This doesn’t mean that you should neglect your work or procrastinate in the tasks that you were assigned to do.
What it does mean, is that you can take a break, step away from the computer screen and take a few minutes to relax. You can make a cup of coffee or tea, do a few stretching exercises if you have been sitting in the chair for a couple of hours, or eat a little snack.
You can also take a walk during your lunch break to experience a change of scenery. Then when you sit down at the table to get back to work, your mind will be a bit more refreshed and ready to work.
The Covid-19 pandemic may have changed the way we work, but we don’t have to let it destroy our lives. Working from home should not be stressful. There are a lot of things that you can do to create an inspiring work environment.
From decorating your workspace and having the right tools and equipment to changing your virtual background and taking short breaks, anyone can make their work environment a little more comfortable. The small changes you make can make a big difference in how you work.
