Thrive from home | 8 ways to get the most out of yourself and your work (from home)

If you had asked me about working from home prior to Covid-19, I would have talked about the benefits and joy found in flexibility. But here we are today, fast-tracked into uncharted territory working from home indefinitely, looking to make the most out of the situation we find ourselves in.?

Whether you are an employer, an employee, a contractor starting a new project in a new business,?or a parent becoming a homeschool expert, here are our 8 tips to thrive at home.

Gratitude

Key to a positive day is a positive mind. It is scientifically proven that us humans are hardwired to pay attention to the red flags. But the good news is that we can reprogram, and some extra time at home creates the space to practice exactly that... Flipping negatives into positives such as “ugh, my zoom is reinstalling, I’m so stressed that I’ll be late” to “I’m grateful that my team are probably catching up on their weekends” can absolutely change your feelings, your mood and your day.?

Mental Fitness

Like physical fitness, the mind requires a similar type of training. We are seeing organisations across the board get creative with mental health initiatives, virtual yoga, wellbeing training along and discounts and access to professional support. Whilst some of us might not have a mystical rainforest nearby, a few moments staring into nature of any kind and breath work are 2 things we can all do to build our mental muscles.

Routine

We all know that sticking to a routine is key to efficient work, but increasingly in a work from home set up, routine can easily be thrown out the door, but it is important to remember some form of routine creates a sense of normality. Whilst we are all being required to operate in a much more adaptable way, daily routines are what we are seeing in some of the most efficient WFH workers. Things like keeping weekend regimes for the weekend, maintaining team meetings at the same times as before, and keeping calls from friends for after hours keep it structured and prevent the days and hours from feeling a bit too blended.

Dress for success?

Now, we’ve all had a meeting with business on top, pyjamas on the bottom. Every now and then is fine, but what we know is when you dress like work, you feel like work. One of our Top HR Transformation Experts Sue Howse wears her heels at home. Sue says “I don’t feel ready for my day unless they are on”. Whilst no one will see you, you’ll feel the difference.

Authentic Connection?

We are built for human interaction. With over 300 million users on Zoom daily, meetings, emails, and other platforms to connect, our advice is - try to make your connections as human and authentic as you can. In Sydney’s 2020 lock down, I noticed in the difference in pace that I was working. I would send an instant message when I needed to ask a question or needed something. I noticed I forgot to ask people how they are, and what they ate for lunch. Instead, I opted for regular phone calls. Meaningfully connecting helps both you, and your colleague feel more, well.. connected.?

Rituals and Rhythms?

The organisations that have held onto their meeting rituals, rhythms, standups, and engage with their people in an online way are setting the pace for momentum. In addition to communicating important updates and keeping their teams connected and in the loop, this is also another great form of positive routine and normality.??

Balancing Reactive and Proactive Work

A Forbes 2021 article recently stated that workforce productivity increased in the early stages of the pandemic, but then slowly declined with burnout, zoom fatigue and crazy hours. High performing individuals naturally want to add more value and put their hand up for additional tasks, but the question now becomes, how can one set up their work to tick off the growing and often reactive to do list, and make time for strategic work, planning and longer term goals. Awareness, structure and balance of reactive and proactive work is key to fulfilling work.

Personal Development?

On the topic of proactive work, and tackling the goals we may have set for ourselves pre-pandemic, personal development is a topic on the rise for workers and employers alike. We have seen a huge shift in work preferences of individuals, with the pandemic inspiring people to question purpose and desire to do meaningful work, aswell as future proof with new skills for a digital world. We are seeing organisations create premium training environments, and we are seeing skilled workers take advantage of time at home to invest in their own up-skilling. In Expert360’s 2020 Freelancer Survey, 78% of our consultant community said they invested in some form of learning during 2020’s lock down. Now don’t beat yourself up if you’re not learning how to code in Python, it’s the benefit of learning that is key here. Mastering a recipe, or learning a few words of a new language work towards the same advantage, such as confidence and enjoyment.?

Final Tip - One of the best gifts that has come from this is the reinstatement of one of the greatest assets, time - particularly from removing daily commutes. Using this new found time to mindfully connect with yourself and to serve others who might need your support is definitely something to be grateful for.

What is one thing you are grateful for or that helps you thrive?