Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Staples Canada, The Working and Learning Company. Staples Canada has opened a brand new location in Toronto at Yonge and Eglinton (2149 Yonge St, at the Art Shoppe Building) to continue to support Torontonians who continue to work from home.

Before 2020, achieving work-life balance was hard enough. And now with the new work-from-home (WFH) normal, work-life balance has become even harder...especially if the kitchen table is also your desk. Here are 5 ways to optimize your WFH set-up to continue to do your best work.

1. Schedule It 

I’ve heard a lot of people say “I could NEVER work from home, I don’t have the discipline!”, and it usually turned out to be because of one of two things: location and scheduling. Skip to point #3 if you wanna talk location. 

Having a set work schedule is often a key to productivity, but also to setting boundaries to prevent burnout. If you fail to plan and schedule your work day, then you might find yourself sleeping until noon and then letting work creep into your evenings and weekends a lot more. If you were used to working a 9-5 in an office, try doing your best to sticking to that schedule, even at home. This means getting up when your alarm goes off, getting dressed, and “commuting” to work (aka: to your desk). Keep the 9-5 routine you had previously to help keep “work” and “home” separate.

2. Optimize Your Setup 

It’s really difficult to focus and stay productive if you’re working in an environment that you can’t stand. If WFH is your new reality, take some time to optimize your set-up and create a space you actually look forward to being in. If you have the square footage, create a space that’s separate from the rest of your home (spare bedroom, office, basement, etc.) and dedicate that space as “WORK ONLY”. If you don’t and your desk is your kitchen table, then keep the activities you do at that table exclusive. Do work during work times, and enjoy meals and conversations at break times and off hours (instead of eating and working at the same time). Whatever your “office” is, do your best to make the set-up comfortable, ergonomic, and somewhere you actually enjoy being when you’re on the clock. And as tempting as it seems, don’t make your office your bed.  

If you need some ideas to optimize your workspace to make it as WFH-friendly as possible, Staples Canada offers a ton of solutions. From ergonomic desk chairs and computer setups, all the way to printing services, Staples Canada will help meet your WFH needs. If you choose to visit in person, you can be assured Staples Canada adheres to the highest health & safety standards with the Staples ShopSafe program. Facial coverings are mandatory for all staff and guests, and the store is sanitized regularly. If you prefer to avoid crowds, you can “get in line” digitally to enable physical distancing using the ShopSafe App. All Staples Canada locations offer free Contactless Curbside pickup, and if you really want to #stayhome, you can order everything online with fast and free delivery on all orders! If you’re in the Toronto area, why not pop by the new Yonge and Eglinton Staples location to see how you can optimize your own WFH set up.

3. Change The Scenery  

Even if you’ve created the ultimate WFH set-up worthy of the most Instagrammable productivity gurus, sometimes you just have to change it up. Depending on what the COVID restrictions are in your area, that might mean a socially distanced coffee shop, a patio, or even a coworking space. If you live in Toronto, the new Staples Canada at Yonge & Eglinton offers the Staples Studio, a coworking space available with the resources you need to work, learn and stay connected in a central community hub. And if you’re living in the GTA, that usually means the space to work from home is at premium. With extensive health & safety measures in place, the Yonge & Eg Staples Studio is a great option to change up your work environment, so you can continue to contribute your best work without getting distracted. 

PS - if you’re not in the GTA, don’t worry! Staples Canada offers Staple Studio coworking hubs in Oakville, Kelowna and Ottawa too.

4. Get Up & Move 

When you have a deadline, it can feel tempting to just sit at your desk and power through your work for hours, or schedule all your virtual meetings back to back. Ever notice how you might feel completely drained after doing this, though? Sitting for prolonged periods of time and performing tasks that demand our attention can be taxing, leaving little energy leftover to do the things that matter.

Make it a point to take breaks throughout the workday. Take a 10-minute walk. Stretch every 30 minutes to release the tension that builds up from sitting. Get some fresh air if weather permits. Or even use a timer method like the Pomodoro method (25 minutes of uninterrupted work, 5 min break x 4 and repeat) to remind yourself to take frequent breaks. Sometimes it feels like a break will slow you down, but really it gives your body and mind the space to continue your best work.

5. Set Boundaries & Stick To Them 

The thing about WFH that you’re, well, at home. It makes separating “work” and “home” really difficult, especially if you’re living in a small space with another person or family. It can be tempting to try to get ahead on those emails after dinner, or to do some work during weekend downtime, but do your best to avoid this. 

Avoid having work emails on your personal phone. Set up temporary auto-replies if you need to maintain some sort of client communication. Turn off your phone notifications when “downtime” starts. Setting boundaries like scheduling work time separate from downtime, going to another location like the Staples Studio coworking space, and taking proper breaks is so important. If you don’t define the lines, they start to get blurred, and that can lead to burnout. Do your best to keep work at work and out of your pocket.