With more people now working from home, many are discovering the challenges of balancing their workload with family and other commitments. For anyone not used to working from home, it can be difficult to motivate themselves and to avoid the temptation of leaving the workspace in their home to speak to members of their family. Also, a whole range of other distractions might be present. This can cause more stress than if you were working in the office, but here are some suggestions for relieving that stress.

Talking to Someone

If you’re used to working in an office surrounded by your colleagues, working from home can feel isolating, even if you have family around. Family might be supportive but won’t always understand your work problems. They won’t be able to help and throw ideas around in the same way as your colleagues who have first-hand experience of the tasks and problems involved in your work. If possible, make time to stay in touch with your co-workers, even if only for moral support. They will probably be facing similar challenges as you. Take advantage of any online meetings; that is the best time to share your struggles and solutions.

If the stress is getting too much, speaking to a professional can also help. Relief Seeker has online therapy reviews to help you choose the best therapy service for your individual needs.

Letting Family Know When You’re Available

Working from home can give your family the impression you’re always available, which is good to a point, but it also means they are more likely to interrupt even for the smallest of reasons. Letting them know when you need to be working and giving strict instructions on when they can interrupt and when they can’t, will make homeworking less stressful. This will allow you to get on with your work. It’s difficult to focus on complicated tasks if you are constantly disturbed mid-task, and this can lead to making costly mistakes.

Cutting Out Distractions

When working from home, it can be tempting to have the radio or television on in the background, or make a coffee in the kitchen, then spend half an hour chatting to members of your household. When turning your attention back to work, you may find yourself behind or at risk of missing a deadline, causing more stress, which doesn’t always help when trying to get a task completed. Some people thrive on near deadlines, others panic and freeze up. So, removing as many distractions as possible could help. Try to recreate office conditions as much as you can. That means no background noise from the radio or television, making up a flask of coffee and a mid-morning snack to avoid having to go to the kitchen outside of any scheduled breaks. Establish ways to minimize any distractions you find are regularly disrupting your work pattern and stick to your scheduled breaks to avoid staring at the screen for too long.

Setting Up a Workspace

Ideally you should have an office space, but that’s not always possible. So, whether you set up your workspace in the kitchen, living area or bedroom, make enough space to work comfortably. Let everyone in the house know not to disturb you and ensure you have everything you need at hand. Spending eight or more hours a day in an unsuitable chair, slouched over a kitchen table can cause physical discomfort and increase stress. You might need to invest in an office chair, small desk and/or other items such as a laptop stand to get your laptop at the right height and position.

Make Time to Get Outside

One good thing about working at home is avoiding the commute. Unfortunately, it also means less time outside, which can make us feel stressed and irritable, especially during the winter months. So, if possible try to take a longer lunch break each day and go outside for a short walk. It might be tempting to stay inside where it’s warmer if you don’t have to go outside. However, if you wrap up well and go for a brisk walk, you’ll soon warm up and may even find it enjoyable, and it’s a great way to relieve stress. You could even use this as a way to spend time with your family by taking them with you.

Working from home has some benefits such as no commuting and no boss looking over your shoulder. You can use any of the above suggestions to relieve the stressful parts, you might be able to make it work for you, and even find it enjoyable.

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