7 Tips to set up your Home office

Working from home is an adjustment!  If you are a Nurse who is used to not getting a chance to get off your feet in order to sit for lunch, you are going to struggle having a job sitting 8 hours a day.  But it doesn't mean that you can't overcome some of the challenges.  We just need to get your environment prepared to work from home.  In my many years of working remotely as a Nurse, I have learned what works for me and I am going to share them with you. 

Creating an environment that makes you feel comfortable and relaxed, yet ready to work and be productive is what we are looking for.  I highly encourage you have a dedicated office space with a door to ensure privacy and you are less likely to be distracted by other members in your household.  You will also be less likely to want to run down the hall and throw some laundry in or pull out dinner items.  Remember, working from home is WORK.

Here are 7 tips that might help with the adjustment of sitting at a desk job based on my experience of working from home.

1. Invest in a desk that raises so you can sit or stand when you feel the need to get up and off of your tush.
2. If your company doesn't provide you with an extra screen, buy one.  Having a larger screen and at eye level is a huge must for me and my old tired eyes. You will thank me later.
3. Wear blue ray glasses to protect your eyes from the 8 hour screen time.  Trust me THEY WORK.  I used to get headaches every single day, not anymore.  
4. Have a comfortable adjustable office chair that has a little cushion versus being hard and firm.  You will end up with a lower backache after several days of sitting if not.
5. Light a candle, incense, essential oils, whatever you choose, but having an aroma in your office space helps your mood.
6. Foot rest, I encourage you to have something to rest your feet on so you are not crossing your legs or sitting on them all the time.
7. Lighting is very important.  If you don't have lighting in the ceiling, buying a nice desk lamp that you can adjust and move the light where you need it.  I use both.  I have a ceiling light but once the sun starts coming around to the front of the house, I turn that light off and use my desk lamp.

I hope this blog helps give you some ideas of how to make working from home successful for you.  Me personally, I have no desire to go back to floor nursing as I enjoy working from home and helping patients telephonically.  Not to mention, telehealth and remote patient monitoring is the wave of the future.  More and more nurses will be working from home as the months and years go by.  COVID 19 has forced Healthcare to adjust years ahead of schedule.  Telehealth still gives you the opportunity to develop a relationship, trust, educate and coach in a more conducive environment for learning.  

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