As of April 2020, about 50% of America’s workforce is now based at home, according to a Harris poll. While the results shared most are happy with the arrangement, some struggle with it.
Several miss their colleagues and socializing, while others need to learn to balance their time and attention. A number cannot concentrate since they share spaces with others, such as their spouse and children.
It isn’t surprising that many employees in the United States are stressed and burned out. Besides their jobs, they need to deal with the pandemic and uncertainty. How then can they achieve Zen in their home office? Here are some ideas:
1. Promote Organization
Clutter affects the mind in many ways, even if it is digital disorganization. It drives away focus from what’s essential, it is a waste of time and energy, and it lowers productivity.
Fortunately, organizing company documents, media files, and other data isn’t as strenuous as it used to be. For example, businesses and employees can look for a G Suite reseller and access many helpful tools:
- Gmeet for online conferencing
- Gmail for emailing
- Google Calendar for scheduling
- Google Drive for file sharing and storage
These apps are available for free users, but by subscribing to a plan, they can integrate these to the other business productivity programs.
2. Designate a Dedicated Space
Transitioning from office to work from home can be easier and more comfortable when employees can have their personal space. This way, it still feels like they’re reporting to a cubicle or workstation.
It can be a full-fledged home office or a shed in the garden. Another option is an attic or even a corner in the bedroom. What’s essential is this everyone treats this space as sacred. No child or spouse can enter or go near it unless it’s crucial while the employee is working.
Now, what can be on the space? Good choices are:
- Plants, as studies suggest green can relax the mind and body
- Proper light, like a desk lamp (avoid overhead lighting since it can create glare)
- Ergonomic chair and table, which can lessen musculoskeletal injuries, like strain
3. Manage Your Time Wisely
Completing projects and to-dos at the last minute spells stress and disaster. Employees need to explore techniques that can help them manage their time more effectively. These include:
- Pomodoro technique, where they break down work in intervals, usually every 25 minutes
- 80/20, where workers dedicate 80% of their time to 20% of tasks or projects that generate the best results
- Eisenhower matrix, where they classify to-dos into urgent and important, urgent but not essential, not urgent but necessary, and not urgent and not important. By doing so, they know which they cannot move to the next day and tasks to delegate or skip.
4. Start Slowly
Pacing helps employees cope throughout the day. One step is to start slow:
- Workers don’t need to open emails until 10 in the morning unless they expect important ones in the morning.
- Take the time to eat breakfast, say a prayer, write a journal, or any me-time activity.
- Spend 20 minutes under the sun. Exposure can increase vitamin D that strengthens the immune system and serotonin that helps regulate mood and memory.
Calmness doesn’t get rid of stress but lowers it significantly that workers can cope with it better. These strategies will help them achieve it.
