Creating Flow While Working From Home

It's no secret that the modern workforce has been fundamentally transformed by the ongoing outbreak of COVID-19. In an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus, states across the country have implemented "stay-at-home' or "shelter-in-place" orders. These mandates have left many people working at businesses like restaurants, gyms, and movie theaters unemployed, causing the real unemployment rate to soar past 20% as of late April.

If you've been fortunate enough to keep your job amidst these uncertain times, there is a good chance that you or your employer have shifted to "work-from-home" working conditions. In fact, an estimated 62% of employed Americans have reported that they are currently working from home during the crisis.

Transitioning to working from home can be a tricky process, as the two worlds of your personal and professional lives come crashing together. Cramped spaces, stir-crazy children, and the prevailing uncertainty of today's times can all impede you from getting much work done. Not to worry though - read on for some tips and information that will help you work well, even while working from home!

AN INTRODUCTION TO FLOW

Beginning to work from home presents the perfect opportunity to introduce some new concepts regarding productivity into your professional life. An increasingly popular idea that's taken the business world by storm is the concept of flow. First introduced by the Hungarian psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi, flow can be defined as "the positive mental state of being completely absorbed, focused, and involved in your activities at a certain point in time," or as an optimal state of consciousness where we feel our best and perform our best." Think of flow as similar to being "in the zone," the state in which "every action, every decision, arises seamlessly from the last."

Neuroscience lets us know that when we enter flow, a cocktail of five different neurochemicals come together, allowing us to find profound clarity, motivation, and creativity. These five chemicals, norepinephrine, dopamine, endorphins, anandamide, and serotonin, all affect performance - norepinephrine and dopamine hone our focus, endorphins block out pain, anandamide encourages the synthesis of complex thoughts, and serotonin provides a sense of enjoyment and pleasure.

In the realm of business, when these chemicals cascade in our brains, flow allows for sky-high levels of productivity. For example, the Harvard Business Review writes that "in a 10-year study conducted by McKinsey, top executives reported being five times more productive in flow." This means that in one day, these executives would be able to get as much done as the rest of their non-flow peers would be able to do in one week.

BUILDING A FLOW-FRIENDLY HOME OFFICE

When working from home, a key step to tapping into flow is creating a space that cultivates focus and creativity. Here are some things to keep in mind in order to build the home office perfect for cultivating flow:

Comfortable chair: It's no secret that the modern American workforce spends most of their time sitting And while you may not have access to your high-end office chair decked out with synchro-tilters and ergonomic backs, it's still important to choose a comfortable chair for your home office. After all, nothing is more distracting than being uncomfortable while working
Standing Desk: Conversely, in order to combat the health risks that come with sitting for long periods of time (which includes risks of death similar to the rates of dying from obesity or smoking), a standing desk presents the perfect solution. Some DYI methods for building a standing desk at home include putting a coffee desk or night stand on top of your normal desk or stacking several textbooks on top of each other (though be careful about not knocking down your laptop with the latter method!).
Second monitor: If you have an old computer monitor lying around, connecting it to your work computer to get a second monitor can be a major boon for productivity. From easier cutting and pasting to more efficient multitasking, a second monitor could greatly help you get into the groove of a flow state.
Green plants: Science lets us know that we feel better after interacting with nature, and plenty of research shows that having plants indoors is great for mental, emotional, and physical health. Consider moving any of your house plants close to your indoor office in order to reap all of the benefits of having a plant close to you while you work.
Place with natural light: In the same vein as the last point, placing yoru home office close to windows that let in a lot of natural light can also do wonders for you. In fact, research has shown that natural light can increase energy levels and productivity and reduce eyestrain - all benefits that will help you tap into flow!

IN CONCLUSION

In the end, the extraordinary circumstances of today's times have required many of us to work from home. This change in lifestyle presents many challenges to both your personal and professional life. With the blurring between these two worlds, it's important to set clear boundaries between your work from home life and your actual home life. This is why it's especially crucial to carve out a space in your home that you can dedicate to having as a home office - and with the right design choices, it could be a place that helps you tap into that highly coveted state of flow!

Here at Facility Solutions Plus, we have a range of products that could help improve your home office, from ergonomic office chairs to height-adjustable standing desks. After all, it's entirely possible to be just as productive (and maybe eve more so!) when working from home - we can help you along the way.

Facility Solutions Plus is a client-centered, full-service commercial office furniture dealership and service provider that specializes in meeting needs, solving problems and enhancing the total office environment through customized, cost-effective workspace solutions...and more.