After the recent unprecedented events of the world, many businesses have had to rethink the way they operate. One of the biggest changes has been allowing their employees to work remotely. Whether you’re a seasoned work-from-homer or if this is a brand new experience, this guide is here to help give you the tips, tricks and ways to make the most of working from home.
1. Create a routine and boundaries
Even without the normal constructs of your everyday work environment, routine is one of the most important things you can stick to when working from home. Getting up at the same time, creating to-do lists and yes even changing out of those comfy PJ’s are all little things that can with your overall productivity.
It may feel like a juggling act and it may take some time to work out, but keeping that balance between personal life and work can be tricky, especially for those that are new to the work from home game. Having a routine helps, so start with clear start and finish times. Yes, life will throw spanners in the works and you will need to be flexible, but having set times dedicated to work tasks will make time management a whole lot easier.
Use the tools that work best for you to manage your day and stay organised. This might be keeping an old-school diary on your desk, using a productivity app or your email calendar to keep on track. Coffee breaks should also be added into the routine, always make time for coffee.
2. Be Social
You may be working for yourself, you may have a team of 20, regardless of the size of your business being social helps with maintaining focus and can be a nice change from talking to your pet all day!
Being social doesn’t mean a long lunch everyday down at your local, it means keeping in touch with colleagues and other associates to the business. Thankfully for this wonderful thing called the internet, we can connect with team members and associates all over the globe in the click of a button.
There are plenty of programs and apps out there to help you stay connected like Skype, WhatsApp, Microsoft Teams and Slack just to name a few.
3. A Dedicated Space
Before you start getting excited and start staking out where in your domestic adobe you are going to transform into your home office here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Natural light – setting up your desk near a window and natural light will automatically increase productivity
- Be comfortable – just like working in an office make sure your surroundings are comfortable like your seat, the height of your desk etc.
- Neutral background – if your work involves regular video calls and conferencing make sure you have a backdrop that is neutral and professional. Keep the happy snaps from your last holiday out of view to create a clean, professional look.
- Free from distractions – Is your desk in direct view of the TV or other distractions? Try eliminating the things that might disrupt your flow and become too much of a distraction.
4. Stay Healthy
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle while working from home is something that everyone can aim to achieve by following these simple activities:
- Eat well – prepare your meals in advance, shop at local food producers and if you can’t get to the shops look up local retailers who may provide a delivery service.
- Exercise – even if it means 15 minutes walking around the backyard, doing an online workout in the living room or running up and down the stairs a few times, just make time to keep the body moving.
- Be mindful – just as important as it is to look after your body’s fitness, it’s also important to look after your mental wellbeing. There are plenty of resources available to help with practising mindfulness and remaining calm when you need to most.
Keeping things balanced, the mind focused and the space productive are all easily achievable through following these simple steps. If you’re currently working from home and would like to share what works well for you, please leave a comment below.
