Working from home used to be a new concept for millions of people around the globe. However, since the pandemic, countless employees continue to find themselves working remotely. In these unique circumstances, you’re bound to make a few remote work faux pas. Here are some common work-from-home mistakes you might be making and how to avoid them moving forward.
Having the Wrong Setup
It would help if you had some essential home office furniture to be a successful remote employee. You can develop back and shoulder pain due to bad posture and furniture deficiency. Also, if your setting is exceptionally dark, you may experience discomfort in your eyes.
Set aside a workspace at home and equip it with the right furniture to avoid these problems. Be sure to illuminate the area properly and keep everything neat and tidy.
Working Nonstop
It’s easy to develop a poor work/life balance while working from home. For example, you might be using your personal computer to complete tasks, leaving you open and available all the time. It might be tempting to respond to emails off the clock, but you have to stop this unhealthy habit.
Consider using a different desktop for your personal affairs. Try to regulate the amount of time you spend in front of a screen to free up some of your personal time. Doing so can help address loneliness and isolation common in remote work environments.
Over-Commitment
Most people want to overachieve at their jobs. However, if you are constantly over-committing, you might be making a common work-from-home mistake. Overworking yourself can be dangerous, and failure to discover this problem on time can cause you to miss deadlines regularly, which may not go well with your bosses.
If you realize that you’re over-committed, try contacting your employer or supervisor to request a brief extension. Describe how additional time would help you complete tasks to the best of your ability. Be mindful of your workload and avoid spreading yourself too thin moving forward. Over-committing is one of the most common work-from-home mistakes you can make!
Super Distractions
It’s challenging to entirely focus on something, especially if you have many distractions. For instance, you might find yourself reading an email several times to grasp its message. When you fall victim to distractions, you can miss deadlines and put your entire team behind.
Try to minimize disruptions as best as possible, but be kind to yourself. Instead of pushing yourself to stay focused all day, schedule some break time to indulge your distractions. Finding ways to improve your focus will help you create a productive work environment.
Working from home has some shortcomings, but making it bearable is easy. Commit yourself to improving your remote working space, and watch how productive you become.
