Working from home has become the new normal due to the need to decrease social interactions and reduce the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Working from home has its advantages such as having more time to spend with your family and saving on petrol costs but it can be rather boring overtime, especially if you’re cooped inside your own home for long hours. When you become bored, you also become less motivated to work hard and do the tasks that are required for you to do. Luckily, you can increase your productivity by following these 10 work-from-home tips so you can work smarter and harder.

1. Have a Comfortable Workstation

A comfortable home office should have a chair and desk with the right size to work comfortably and encourage eye-level computing in which your eyes are on the same level as the top of the computer screen for easy viewing. You should also get an ergonomic keyboard and mouse which encourage your arms to work more frequently without causing aches or numbness from frequent usage.

If possible, you can also decorate your workspace so it becomes a welcoming atmosphere for you such as plants, posters, pictures, action figures or fragrance diffusers. A decorated workspace can trigger positive feelings which can make you feel more motivated to work harder.

2. Manage your To-Do List

If you have a lot of work to complete, unless you’re a really fast worker, you may not be able to complete it all in one day. Instead of trying to complete everything at once which can cause you more undue stress, try to break down all of your tasks and focus on the ones which are more important.

Preferably, you’ll want to complete tasks which have the earliest deadlines first before moving on to later ones. You’ll also need to think about how many tasks you can realistically accomplish in one day so you won’t feel overburdened by having too much work. Managing your to-do list will go a long way in making your work-from-home experience relatively easier.

3. Avoid multitasking

Multitasking is a surefire way to increase your stress levels and make you less focused on the tasks at hand. It is also bad for the brain as a study from the University of London found that people who multitask had lower IQ scores and had the same mental capacity as an 8-year-old child.

Remember that you can’t do everything at once. Focus on the most important task first before moving on to the next one. This reduces work-related stress and allows your brain to think more clearly.

4. Avoid distractions

Distractions are also another thing to avoid if you don’t want to lose focus. These can include things like YouTube videos, social media notifications, non-work-related messages and games. Put aside any non-work-related matters, at least, until after working hours.

5. Sit up straight

While sitting upright may not seem like much, it is a power pose that can make you feel more energetic and motivated to do something. This is because an upright posture increases testosterone levels which triggers positive feelings.

Sitting up straight is one of the best reasons to get an ergonomic gaming chair as a gaming chair can support an upright sitting posture for long hours. Typically, a gaming chair will have a tall adjustable backrest with lumbar and neck pillows that fits the back’s natural curves to support the muscles in maintaining an upright sitting posture. You can check our gaming chair collection at ttracing.my if you’re looking to get one for your home office.

6. Take Breaks Every Now and Then

There’s only so much time you can keep working before becoming tired and mentally drained. Once your energy levels become low, don’t push yourself and take a microbreak so that you will be more energetic and focused when you get back to work. Microbreaks can last between 30 seconds to a minute and consist of small actions like stretching, walking, getting a cup of coffee or simply standing up. It’s important to take a microbreak every 20 minutes so that you are not too tired to do anything.

7. Set rules for family members

Working from home allows you to spend more time with your family members. However, there will be situations when your parents or kids can distract you in the middle of an important meeting or when you need to finish a task before the deadline. Now, we aren’t saying you should cut yourself off from your family but you should let your family know about your workload and schedule so that you will have fewer interruptions to deal with.

You should also set certain rules around the house such as not making too much noise and knocking the door to your home office first when you’re working. You can also stick a “Do Not Disturb” sign on your home office door so that your family members know that you’re busy.

8. Maintain a healthy diet

A healthy diet should consist of carbohydrates (whole grain foods like rice, noodles, bread and cereal) to give your body energy, vitamins and minerals (fruits and vegetables) to maintain a healthy body and proteins (milk, meat, eggs and fish) to strengthen or repair the body. It is best to eat a combination of foods containing all three of these nutrients so that your body is able to work hard.

9. Exercise regularly

Working from home allows you to have control over your work schedule and routine. When you have nothing better to do and you’re just waiting for work to arrive, you can take this time to do some exercises like push-ups, sit-ups, lunges and other kinds of routine that can keep your body moving.

Exercising regularly not only keeps the body healthy but it also allows your brain to function better as well. Exercising allows your brain to concentrate better, think creatively and learn faster. You’ll perform better overall if you incorporate regular workouts in your work-from-home routine.

10. Get plenty of sleep

Not getting enough sleep is detrimental to your focus and energy levels. As a result, you’ll become more tired and feel less motivated to continue working. Adults between the ages of 18 and above require between 7 to 8 hours of sleep so that they’ll be refreshed and mentally ready for the workday ahead. Habits that can encourage proper sleep include not using your phone during bed time and drinking less caffeinated drinks like coffee and tea. If you do these, you’ll become a more active and optimistic person in the long run.

By following these 10 tips, you can look forward to a positive work-from-home experience and become more satisfied with the job you do. Enjoy working in the comfort of your own home and remember to take care of your wellbeing.