Our top five tips for working from home
For those of us who are lucky enough to have a role that enables us to work from home, this may be the first time we've ever had to for a long period. And it takes some getting used to.
At first it seems a very attractive prospect; stay in your Pjs all day, avoid the commute, get some extra housework done and be around loved ones for longer. But creating the balance between work and home is crucial; not striking that balance can have a real impact on your mental wellbeing.
So after week one, we asked our Sales & Marketing team what their top tips are for working from home successfully. Here's what they said.
TIP NUMBER 1: GET DRESSED
Get up, get showered and get dressed. This was top of everyone's list. The days where you don't mentally prepare for a day at work can feel a bit blurry. The attraction at 8:30am to have a few more minutes in bed is very tempting, but come 2pm, you will feel absolutely rotten. “ You get up from your desk to make lunch, and see yourself in the mirror, and think, oh dear!"
TIP NUMBER 2: REMEMBER TO MOVE
“I got up and felt pins and needles all down my leg; I realised I hadn't moved for 4 hours. That would never happen in the office.” In the office, we're constantly moving; we get up to talk to people, collect something off the printer, or make the round of tea. At home, it's just you and the computer. There's less distractions at home, so you get into a flow; sometimes that means you don't stop and take a break.
TIP NUMBER 3: LIMIT DISTRACTIONS
It's so much easier if you have a dedicated space to work. But if you're on a laptop in the living room, the temptation is to put the TV on in the background. Don't! It's so hard to concentrate when something visual is going on. “I find it even hard to have the radio or podcasts on; either music or total silence!”
We do highly recommend sitting near windows though; we're loving seeing the sunlight this week, seeing our gardens bloom and hearing the birds singing! That's one distraction we'll allow :)
TIP NUMBER 4: STICK TO YOUR HOURS
Recognising the start and end of the day can be tough, but getting into a routine helps. If you start at 9am, get ready, make breakfast and read your emails, then start with a list of things you want to achieve that day. If it helps, write down LUNCH too so you are telling yourself when you will take a break. At 5pm (if that's when you finish), shut down the computer, tidy away your desk space and move to a different room. It's so important to feel the divide between work hours and home hours. It goes both ways though; if you find yourself watching TV at 3:30; you're not getting it.
TIP NUMBER 5: KEEP IN TOUCH
It can be lonely working on your own, and right now we all really want security and reassurance. Keep in touch with the people you see every day; it provides some normality and makes you feel “we're all in the same boat”. Emails are fine, but phonecalls and whatsapp messages make you feel more connected.
And on a lighter note, here's 5 things we're really enjoying about working from home....
- Cutting out the commute has given me more time in the morning; I highly recommend a 15 minute run to feel positive!
- Regular cuddles with family and being able to break with them at lunch is lovely and good for the soul.
- Nice to be able to limit travel time
- Not popping out to the shops a lunch and spending ££!
- Taking the odd five minutes to catch up on housework and pop the washing on!
