8 of the Biggest Mistakes People Make Working from Home

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In 2020, many people were thrown into working from home without any experience and figured it out along the way. But, working from home looks like it may be here to stay for the foreseeable future.

Now is the time to set yourself up for success in 2021 and beyond by making sure you do not make the following eight common mistakes people who are working from home make. 

Not Keeping a Routine

The first thing, while you are working from home, that you want to avoid doing is oversleeping. While working from home may save you time by not commuting, you do not want to have your alarm going off at 8:55 AM so you can roll out of bed and start work at 9:00 AM. You want to keep some semblance of a routine. If your commute was previously 30 minutes, then give yourself that 30 extra minutes to sleep in.

You still want to get up in time to shower, get dressed (see below for the importance of this), and have time to have breakfast before heading into your workspace for the day. You will feel more refreshed and ready for the day.

Taking too Many Breaks

While working from home, it is easy to get up and grab a handful of chips or get up and walk around your living room, but you want to make sure that you are conducting yourself in the same professional manner as you would in the office. Would you get up to walk around the office four times in an hour? Probably not, so avoid doing that at home as well. 

Another habit to break is taking too many snack breaks. When you find yourself getting up a couple of times before lunch, it's safe to assume you aren’t going right for the vegetable drawer. Adding in too many unhealthy snacks in a day will slow your productivity down and possibly be detrimental to your health.

Not Taking Breaks

On the flip-side of taking too many breaks, you can quickly get tunnel vision and wind up sitting at your desk for 8 hours a day straight; that is not healthy physically or mentally. If you need to, set a timer. It will remind you to get up and take a break every once in a while. Take a quick walk outside to get some fresh air, so sit and drink a glass of water and get your eyes off the computer screen for a bit.

Dressing Way Down

You may have mastered the art of putting on a nice top for your conference calls and wearing worn-out sweat pants. But to help your productivity, dress appropriately for work. Dressing appropriately doesn’t mean you need to dress in a suit and tie every day. A clean shirt and a clean pair of pants will go a long way in making you “feel the part.” When you feel good, your work will reflect that. 

Not Having a Dedicated Workspace

While working from home may sound like a dream, in reality, it can be challenging. There are many distractions and always other things you could be doing (dusting, laundry, vacuuming, etc.). Having a dedicated workspace will tell yourself, your kids, or your partner that this is where you need quiet and limited distractions to get your work done. Depending on the space available, having a door to close is recommended. 

While you are setting up your dedicated workspace, you want to make sure that you have the right equipment to do your job well. Some suggested products below.

• Wireless mouse - get one like this one with an ergonomic design, so there is no hand and wrist fatigue at the end of the day.
• Bluetooth keyboard - if you don’t need the number pad on your keyboard, then this one is a great affordable option. If you work with numbers or enjoy having the number pad, this keyboard is perfect for your home office.
• External monitor - working with a laptop is great, but adding in an affordable monitor, like this one, will help with eye strain and, depending on your laptop, could even act as a second monitor as well.
• Laptop stand - If you are using your laptop alone or with an external monitor, it will help your neck and posture to raise your laptop from the desk. A simple laptop stand, like this one, is adjustable and won’t take up any more room on your desk than your laptop would.
• Ergonomic chair - Any old desk chair won’t do. Get a chair, like this one that is made for sitting in for long stretches of time. You don’t have to be a gamer to be comfortable like one.

Not Getting Enough Exercise

We mentioned earlier to give yourself small breaks to do quick walks. Still, you also want to give yourself time to take a more extended break that will provide you with the time to work out by taking a walk around the block, taking a quick run, or even lifting weights in your living room. If your work schedule doesn’t allow that, try to get a workout done before or after work. 

Not Keeping Track of Your Hours

It is effortless to work through lunch or jump on to check your work email “quickly” when you wake up. But by doing that, you may be working more than your regular weekly hours that you would be putting in at the office. 

Make sure to keep your hours in check. Ensure you are not continually working 9-10 hours days if that is not what you are used to doing. It is essential to separate personal time from work time and make sure that you aren’t working just because the computer is there. 

The truth is that video can provide a more engaging experience, and it is something that you should get used to and get comfortable using. Make sure you are looking at your camera when talking, so you are “looking” at the other people. To help with this, some people tape a face from a photo or magazine near their camera or a simple post-it note that says, “look up here!”

Make sure your background is clear of any personal effects and is not too busy. A simple sheet pinned up out of view makes a perfect video conferencing backdrop. 

While working from home may become more commonplace, it does not mean that you should loosen up the rules. Avoid these mistakes while working from home, and you will be the productive employee that you always were in the office.

What are your tips and tricks to staying productive when you work from home? Comment below.

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