A guide to working from home
We are now well into our third lockdown & hopefully our last – but who knows. Regardless of the pandemic, working from home will become the norm for many, well after the virus disappears.
Many people have welcomed switching the office and a suit for joggers and a sofa. But as the novelty starts to wear off a little, unwanted distractions & a drop in productivity start to creep in. So, with this in mind we have created a quick guide on how to homework like a pro!
- Dress for success – we’ve all heard the working in your pants stories, only dressing your top half or keeping your PJ’s on all day. However, if you do this, it is so much harder to switch your brain into productivity mode.
- Stick to a routine – get up, shower, get dressed, breakfast then be at your desk, (kitchen table or worktop) for a set time. Is a suit really needed? Of course not, but nor is a onesie!
- Set a schedule & keep to it – separate your working hours and your personal time. Once you’ve finished work if you are able, switch off all work-related devices & don’t touch them again until the morning.
- Create your workspace – if possible, set up a dedicated space for you to work from at home. This will keep you concentrating more and be in work mode when you are in this space and leave work mode when you finish and sit on the sofa.
- Keep in touch – use Zoom, Teams, Facetime or similar whenever you can. This helps team bonding, motivation levels & mental health.
If you manage a team, our advice would be:
- Schedule daily or weekly meetings
- Communicate clear expectations – ideally followed up in an email
- Schedule one to one check-ins
- Give feedback
- Share information
I hope this guide helps & happy home working – plus keep out of the fridge!
