My client a businessman who has been seeing me for work related stress told me a very clever saying which I share here now.
“In the beginning I worked from home, at the end I lived in the office.” Now this may not be his idea but whoever first said this sums up a lot of what people are dealing with.
There are a few tricks to make one feel that they are indeed “working from home”.
Wear work clothes including (comfortable) shoes when sitting at your laptop.
Do not have music on if you wouldn’t be listening to it if you were out at work.
If you have home tasks to do, these can only be done in your break times.
Have lunch in your Kitchen / Dining Room away from your work station.
Time a tea-break in the morning and the afternoon and again have your drink & snack in the kitchen / Dining Room.
Do not check your work phone calls & emails while you are having your breaks.
Make time every hour to slowly stretch all major parts of your body with special attention to your neck and shoulders, back, feet & ankles, and look away from your screen into the distance several times to give your eyes a rest.
When your work is done for the day, change your clothes.
Go for a walk or go shopping whatever you need to do and what you would do if you were actually working away from home.
These basic tasks will help keep you focused on your work for the time you are meant to be working as well as keeping you physically and mentally healthy.