As many of you are experiencing during lockdown, working from home isn’t as easy as it sounds. Maintaining productivity, balancing family life, and dealing with emotional and professional isolation are the main challenges we face. Doing it for a single day is relatively simple; the real struggle is turning it into a sustainable routine. That’s why many remote professionals choose coworking spaces, where these hurdles are easily overcome. But how do we manage when we’re forced to work from home?
#1. Treat it with the same level of seriousness as office-based work.
The most important thing is that you take it seriously yourself. If you don’t, neither your family, your friends, nor your company will. This is an opportunity to make your day more efficient, as you aren’t spending time on long commutes or potentially unnecessary meetings. Make the most of it and show the true value of your work.
#2. Set strict schedules and firm habits.
Establishing a daily routine is essential: set your alarm early, shower, and have breakfast before you begin—just as if you were heading out. Sitting at your computer in your pyjamas… it simply doesn’t work. Get dressed and look your best; it’s vital for your self-esteem, too.
#3. Dedicate a specific space for your work.
Working in the bedroom or the kitchen is never a good idea. Clutter or the mental association with household chores can easily break your focus. Get yourself a proper ergonomic chair—you could even ask your coworking space if they have one to spare—or invest in your own. Use a laptop stand along with a separate keyboard. Add a plant, a notebook, and a photo or two. You can actually make your workspace a place where you want to sit down and get to work.
#4. Stay in touch with your coworkers and colleagues.
Current circumstances have highlighted the value of COMMUNITY more than ever. It boosts productivity, work quality, and self-esteem. At Vortex Coworking, this is what we’re most proud of: having colleagues to share professional doubts and insights with, as well as enjoying an ‘after-work’ drink or chat once the day is done. Even if we don’t see each other daily while working from home, there are plenty of ways to keep the conversation flowing, like Slack or Zoom. If a full-time membership isn’t feasible for you after lockdown, we offer flexible options—weekly, half-month, or club memberships—to help you find that perfect balance.
#5. Draw a clear line between work and play.
Remote work carries the risk of turning us into workaholics. Even if we have 24/7 access to company systems or emails, it’s vital to compartmentalise the different areas of our lives. Ideally, a coworking space provides the physical separation that leads to mental separation. If that’s not an option, you must create your own tools: at the end of the day, sign off by writing down your tasks for tomorrow in order of priority. Clear them from your mind until the next morning. Only in cases of extreme urgency should you allow yourself to return to your desk—even if it’s only a metre away.
#6. Don’t let your day become sedentary.
Make exercise a daily goal, either before or after work. This is always advisable, but more so than ever when working from home, where it’s all too easy to spend the day barely moving. And that… simply isn’t good for body or mind. At Vortex Coworking, we have an activities calendar where community members can exercise together almost every day: sunrise runs on Malvarrosa beach or at the Marina (just steps from Vortex Playa), midday runs through the magnificent Turia River park (moments away from Vortex Centro), plus pilates, beach volleyball, and more. If you’re stuck at home, find a Personal Trainer or a Fitness App and meet up virtually with your favourite coworkers or friends to keep the routine alive.
#7. Stay off social media while you work.
When working alone from home, the temptation to check social media is even stronger. Avoid it. You can catch up once you’ve finished for the day. It’s simply not necessary.
And when all of this is behind us—as it surely will be—we encourage you to keep working remotely, with all the benefits that brings. But we invite you to do it, or at least try it, from a coworking space near you. Combine the perks of remote work—fewer commutes, more time, a smaller carbon footprint, and fewer office distractions—with the advantages of a professional environment: proper infrastructure, ergonomics, community, and routine. Want to discover more benefits of coworking? Take a look at our other blog post. Ready to give it a go? We look forward to seeing you at our Valencia spaces: Calle Sorní in the city centre and Calle Reina in the Marina/Cabanyal area.