As we all adapt to living in the Covid-19 pandemic, many office-based workers and students are continuing to work from home.
Working from home can be divisive. Some love it and others would rather get back to the office as soon as possible. Either way, it looks like home working is here to stay and this presents some new challenges.
We’ve got some working from home tips that will help you to be productive, healthy and successful.
Who’s tried working from their bed before? We know many students are culprits for this and some professionals too. While it may sound nice and cosy, being in bed will confuse your brain and make you feel sleepy. Dozing off in the middle of the day isn’t great for your productivity.
When working from home, you should try to create a space that is dedicated only to working. Is there a spare room you can get set up in? Could the kitchen table work for you? Wherever you choose, you’ll want to ensure you have enough space to work and stay organised.
Make your space a nice place to work too. Get a houseplant, a lamp or some photos to make it more interesting and personal.
Time management is difficult at the best of times, but when you’re working from home with plenty of distractions around it’s even more of a struggle. Creating a schedule at the start of each day will help you to stay on track.
Having more flexibility is one of the benefits of working from home, but you don’t want to run out of hours in the day. Structure your time like you would if you were in the office or at university. What’s on your to-do list? What do you want to achieve today? If you have a solid schedule in place, you’ll be productive, achieve more and strike a good work-life balance.
When you’re working from an office, you’ll naturally take coffee breaks or have a chat with colleagues. It’s important to continue taking breaks when working from too, just to get away from your desk and to move around for a few minutes. This will help to give your brain a rest, to recharge and to re-focus when you return.
Another great aspect of working from home is you have more choice about what to do in your breaks. You might have a video call with your colleagues, go for a walk or sit in your garden, or squeeze in a quick workout.
The biggest change you may notice when working from home is keeping in touch with your colleagues. It’s easier to ask a question or get an opinion when someone is sitting a few feet away from you.
Make use of technology to stay connected and keep lines of communication open. You can use video calls/meetings and instant messaging chats to keep in touch with your co-workers. You’ll probably find that you feel more motivated after checking in with others and certainly less lonely.
When your working day is over, you need to switch off. Close down your emails and tabs and switch off your work phone. Now you can leave your working area and go and do the things that you enjoy or that make you feel relaxed. Don’t let work creep too much into your personal time or you’ll put yourself at risk of burn out.
Most of us have never worked at home for such a long period before and it can take some time to adapt and settle into your new routine. Hopefully, these tips will help you to improve your working from home experience and achieve more!
