By Shanique Crossdale
Being a working professional usually means heading to a specific workplace: teachers to schools, doctors and nurses to healthcare facilities, and lawyers to law firms. This transition to a particular working environment isn’t just about commuting; it’s about shifting from personal roles (like being a parent or sibling) to professional ones, where you have responsibilities towards coworkers, clients, and patients.
Remote work removes this transition, so how can you separate your home environment from your professional responsibilities? The Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns forced many of us to navigate this new reality. Teachers had to switch to video-call platforms like Zoom and Google Meet. Healthcare professionals turned to Telehealth for non-emergency consultations. Many of us had to accept home as our new workplace.
The new normal now includes remote options for in-person events. Some professionals continue offering virtual services. Society has come to see that working from home can be effective.
But this system has its challenges. The physical and mental shift that leaving home for work creates is missing. While some can adapt, you might wonder why working from home isn’t the default. Beyond jobs requiring on-site presence, working from home can limit the social aspects of work that motivate us as social beings—it can get old, and fast. So, how do you stay motivated and perform optimally?
Establish a Routine
One thing that helps me stay motivated when working from home is having a routine. Preparing for work even while staying home creates a physical transition that helps to shift into your professional role mentally. This might include typical hygienic care, dressing in non-sleepwear clothing, having breakfast, getting some movement in before work, and settling at a designated work area.
Control Your Environment
Another thing that helps is music and warm lights. A perk of not being in a shared space is the ability to set your environment to your preference. Whether you work better in a warm space rather than an air-conditioned room, focus better with white noise, a specific genre of music, or complete silence, and prefer warm lights over harsh white lights—take advantage of customizing your work environment without disrupting others.
Set Boundaries
While working from home, it’s tempting to lock into work tasks, working overtime or without breaks. While this may seem productive initially, it can lead to burnout, reducing motivation and productivity.
Instead, manage your work tasks responsibly by allocating sufficient time to complete them without rushing. When your shift ends, pause any unfinished tasks; what you’ve achieved during the day is your progress. Value the effort you’ve put in during the dedicated time.
BU + Beyond 