Improve Sleep and Productivity While Working from Home
It’s happening throughout the world right now: people working indefinitely from their homes. For many, there’s no end in sight to this new way of working. But not everyone is able to work from home. Front line, essential workers, and others having been going to work every day for months, enabling so many millions of us to stay mostly at home, or return to our work spaces partially and gradually. These folks deserve our attention, respect, and gratitude. So what are ways to improve sleep and productivity while working from home?
Don’t work in your bedroom. But here’s what to do if you must.
This is important. Keep your work and your work life (emails, Zoom calls, Slack, updating your calendar, etc.) away from your bed and your bedroom. Especially in these work from home times, psychological and physical boundaries between work and sleep are critical.
DON’T work in bed.
DO create a designated work area.
DO keep a light footprint.
DO set concrete hours for working—and stick to them.
Set yourself up to get some morning sunlight
- Strengthening circadian rhythms, which exert control over cognitive performance as well as sleep
- Suppressing melatonin, a hormone that facilitates sleep. Low melatonin = more alertness
- Increasing activity in areas of the brain responsible for concentration
- Morning exposure to natural light also lowers depression and anxiety and increases positive mood, helping us feel more energized and with a greater sense of well-being, according to research.