How to Be an Even More Effective Remote Worker

Almost a year into the pandemic, a good portion of those who have had to shift to a remote working set-up have had enough time to get the hang of doing work at home. But not everyone has adjusted well enough, and many are still trying to figure out how to make working from home work for them. If this rings true for you, know that there are a lot of things professionals can do to become even more effective remote workers. Here are three small steps you can start with:

Set aside some time for meditation

Given all the stresses and anxiety the pandemic has caused, it isn’t surprising that a lot of people are finding it extra hard to focus on their work and stay productive. In the face of such a reality, the go-to response for most professionals would be to work extra hard and log more hours than usual. Unfortunately, this reaction does more harm than good in making you more productive and efficient.

To get yourself out of a rut, what you should instead do is to set aside some time for relaxing activities. As highlighted in one of our previous posts, such an activity will not only help rewire your brain into a calmer and healing state. Meditation can also relieve stress, improve focus and memory, increase your energy, and enhance creativity.

Prioritise your comfort

If you are someone who has been working from home since the onset of the pandemic, chances are, you already have a designated workstation at home. However, the question here is, is it comfortable and ergonomically correct? Believe it or not, the simple furniture we use while working affects our overall performance and well-being more than we’d like to admit.

If you want to be more productive while being more kind to your body, the first thing you have to do is to set up an ergonomically correct workstation. This way you maintain good posture, have ample support, and be as comfortable as you possibly can be while working. While getting an ergonomic work desk and office chair is ideal, it isn’t an option for many professionals these days because of how pricey it can get. This is where ergonomic accessories can come in handy. Lumbar support pillows, which are smaller and less expensive than a new desk and chair, can be attached to your current work chair to relieve yourself of lower back aches and keep your upper body from slouching or lounging. Sometimes, you just have to find the right products that can help you achieve your desired goal without costing you an arm and a leg.

Dress up for work

As tempting as it may be to work in your PJs, it continues to be important for professionals to dress up for work. No, you don’t have to go all out and wear a pencil skirt or a pair of dress pants. Dressing up for work as a remote worker can be as simple as wearing some casual clothes that are good enough for a Friday night hangout with friends.

This simple tip can be of great help in making you a better remote worker simply because your ‘work’ clothes can serve as tangible symbols that can help your brain get into work mode. In addition to this, studies have also shown how dressing for work can help remote workers separate work life from home life, and feel extra good about themselves. People who work while they are in a good mood will, of course, turn in better outputs and become even more efficient.

Article specially written for blog.careermoneylife.com by Hale Corbyn