There are a few silver linings to remember when you start to wonder if you’re ever going to leave the house again.
If you’re lucky enough to be able to do your regular job outside of the office, you’ve probably been working from home for a few weeks now. And we’re willing to bet the novelty of it has started to wear off slightly — working in your pajamas is only exciting for so long. Without the ability to change up your work location and head to a coffee shop, staring at the same four walls day in and day out can take a toll on your productivity.
But, as someone who has worked remotely for almost five years now, there are a few silver linings to remember when you start to wonder if you’re ever going to leave the house again.
No Commute
When you work from your living room, kitchen table or (if you’re lucky) home office, your “commute” to work is only a few steps. Think about all of the time and money you save when you don’t have to get into your car, drive however many miles to work, sit in traffic and then do it all over again at the end of the day. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the average American commutes for 42 minutes per day.
So, use those extra 42 minutes to sleep in a bit longer, make yourself breakfast, enjoy a cup of coffee before you start work or whatever you prefer to start your day on the right note.
Workout at Off Hours
Speaking of extra time, you no longer have to save your workouts for before or after work. Instead, you can use your lunch hour to get a quick sweat in or take advantage of the morning hours because you don’t technically need to shower and get ready in order to start working now.
Or take it a step further and, if you’re someone who likes a schedule, block an hour off on your calendar at your preferred workout time. And we’re here to tell you it’s OK if it’s during normal “work hours”. That’s the best part of not being in an office, you can plan your day a bit differently and work (or workout) when you’re most productive.
Make Your Own Meals
You’re not packing lunches or snacks anymore, so take advantage of making meals you normally couldn’t construct in an office kitchen. Plus, assembling a real meal is a nice break from looking at your computer for the third straight hour.
And while it can be tempting to snack all day since your kitchen is right around the corner, stock your pantry with healthy things. You won’t be lured into eating a piece of cake for lunch because it was someone’s birthday and there are leftovers in the office kitchen.
Fewer Distractions
This one won’t apply to everyone, especially for the parents who are juggling homeschooling kids and working from home. But, if you are working from home alone or with another adult, you will likely find yourself getting distracted less. No one is walking by your desk to ask you a question or calling you into a meeting just because you’re around.
And fewer distractions means more productivity, so you could complete your work in less hours. That means you don’t have an excuse to not take an hour and make yourself a healthy lunch or do an at-home workout.
So, take advantage of the small wins working from home can provide you. It will make the countdown to returning to the “new normal” much more bearable.
