With the ability to work from anywhere at any time, flexibility is the greatest perk for remote workers. Yet, with flexibility can come increased pressure. If you’re not experiencing face to face contact with your co-workers, you might feel more pressure to spend more time working than you normally would if you worked in the office. Without your teammates reminding you to eat lunch and take a break, people who work remotely sometimes find themselves exhausting additional hours and spending less time on non-related work activities.
Create a Buffer – Don’t jump into work right away
One of the easiest things to do as a remote worker is sign in to Slack (the Creative Density Slack is a pretty awesome thing to wake up to) or email, or whatever the minute you wake up. You’re encouraged to de-plug within those few minutes of waking up. The goal is to start your day with clarity. And trust us, rushing to respond to five different emails will not achieve this. Remote workers need a morning routine, it’s vital! Making a cup of coffee or doing your morning stretches will give you a buffer between your past night’s dreams to whatever your workday has in store for you that day.
A tip: set your phone to do not disturb for after your alarm goes off so you aren’t blasted with emails as soon as you wake up!
Create a separate place to work and declutter
It’s important to work in a space that’s distinct from the rest of your home. If you choose the right work space, you can set yourself up for a productive day. If you work from your living room where you normally ‘Netflix and chill’ you might get distracted halfway through the day. If you work from your dining area that’s covered in laundry and unopened mail, you might do that instead of being work-productive. Create a clutter-free environment so you don’t get easily sidetracked. Our minds like to wander, it’s natural… but don’t set it up for failure.
A tip: Join the nearest co-working space to your home. Unplug from your device as you enjoy the stroll to your chosen office. Interact with friendly faces before you begin your workday to free your mind from the work clutter you’ve stored up there. Remember, it’s okay to not always be thinking about work!
Here at Creative Density Coworking in Denver, our goal is to be that buffer for remote workers and freelancers. Creating a healthy balanced work and play environment. Don’t default to unreasonably long workdays, set hours for work and stick to them! By joining a coworking space you naturally create a starting and stopping point for work.
Get your mind and body on a routine to know what time of the day work mode is for. Creating this balance lets you be fully present for time with family, friends and yourself! Your work/life balance is important.
Don’t spend your free time only to decompress from the day because you’re overworked…. Rather, make memories and special moments with the people you care about so you’re happy with your life away from work. We know it’s hard to achieve work-life balance, but it is obtainable. Even acknowledging that we can work on ourselves and our routines, is one step closer.
You’ve got this!