During the Covid-19 pandemic, working from home became the norm for more than 557 million people. Now that things have essentially returned to normal, most people want to continue working from home if their work allows it.
However, working from a home office can be a challenge.
How do you stay productive and focused? How do you plan for unexpected power interruptions? And how do you maintain a good work-life balance?
From safeguarding your work against blackouts with a bluetti ep500 pro power station to feeling less isolated, three tips help you work from home more effectively.
1. Invest in a Solar Power Backup
While most offices provide backup power generators to guarantee uninterrupted workdays, experiencing an unexpected power interruption while working from home can result in days of lost time, incomplete work, and frustration. At home, you're at the mercy of the national electricity grid. So, what can you do to ensure a backup plan if you have a blackout?
The best solution is to invest in a solar power station. While it may be a costly outlay, you have to remember that your livelihood is on the line if you can't start your computer or connect to the internet.
A solar power station with a battery to store the excess energy your solar panels generate will allow you to tap into it in your time of need - and you'll be completely independent of the power grid.
2. Keep a Regular Schedule
Even the most productive of us can slack off work when unsupervised. Setting a schedule when working from home and keeping a routine will help you add some structure to your workday and keep you motivated. You should go about your day in an office setting when working from home.
A way to get into a suitable mind space for productivity is to get up early, fully dressed, and sit down to work without distractions. Set realistic goals for what you can accomplish in a workday, and leave room for breaks. If you work extra hours on a task or project, compensate for the time by allowing some downtime. Make sure you're not overworking by tracking for hours via the employee hour calculator.
Try to adhere to the schedule you've created for yourself for at least five weeks – that's when your daily routine will become a habit.
3. Maintain Clear Boundaries
When working from home, it's easy to let your work life and home life become enmeshed. If you don't maintain strict working hours and boundaries, you may feel like you're always at work when you're at home.
An excellent way to keep your work and home life separate is to keep a space in your home strictly for work. A dedicated home office or "work corner" will provide a physical boundary between work and home, making it easier to stick to your limits.
Maintaining a good work-life balance can also become tricky when friends and loved ones think you are available simply because you are home. Tell them that you work for a certain period during the day and that time is off-limits for visits, calls, and other distractions.
