As we enter a new year, it seems the trend that saw widespread growth in 2021 is now becoming cemented as the norm in 2022 – working from home is most definitely here to stay. While many people have enjoyed this change and embraced working from home, many other people have experienced burnout due to working from home practices and environments that are not conducive to healthy and productive work. We spoke with TechQuarters, a London IT Support Provider in the UK, about working from home. They themselves are fully remote company providing IT Support across the UK. They suggested some tips on how to make working-from-home better for yourself this year.

1. Time Boundaries

One of the main issues many people had with working from home in 2021 was their tendency to work extra hours on a regular basis – this may be for a range of reasons; some might simply lose track of time, whereas others may be attempting to make up for a lack of productivity earlier in the day or week. Whatever the reason for overworking, it can be detrimental to your life outside of work. This is why it is recommended that you set yourself strict boundaries for your work hours, and do not work outside of those hours.

2. Dedicated Workspaces

Another important boundary to set when you are working from the comfort of home is with your own workspace. For example, if you can avoid it, never work in your bedroom; and try not to let your workspace and your personal space overlap, so sofas are not a great place to work (especially as its not great for your back). Some companies turn to their IT Managed Services Provider to give their teams tips on how to setup their at-home workspace. The reason having a dedicated desk and workspace and setting the right boundaries around it is good is because the success of a healthy home-working arrangement involves separating what it is that forms your work life and from what is your personal life. When you have a dedicated workspace, it is a lot easier for you to enter and leave work, even when you work from home.

3. Fresh Air

Even before the advent of working-from-home, it was crucial for office workers to get outside and breath some fresh air. Of course, there is air in the office (you’re not going to suffocate in the office!) but fresh air has some real benefits. For example, going outside and breath air that hasn’t been circulating in your flat or house can increase your energy; there are even studies that suggest there is a higher number of pathogens in indoor air when compared to the air outdoors. What is more, fresh air has a major psychological benefit to you.

4. Productive Pauses

Remaining cooped up in the office, or indeed your home, for many hours at a time can be detrimental for a number of reasons. To start with, sitting at a desk or standing at a standing desk for hours on end can lead to stiff muscles at best, and injuries at worst. While you might think that staying glued to your desk will make you more productive, it is actually doing the opposite. Productive pauses are simply short breaks that you take at least every hour; these help your brain to thoughts to de-compress, so that when you return to work, your mind is more refreshed. Additionally, taking regular breaks gives you opportunity to stand up, stretch, and get your blood circulating and your muscles working.