Working from home? Here’s some tips to get you started

As a lot of the country prepares for the lockdown, one thing we can be grateful for, is the joy of technology. In some cases (including our own), many of our office based customers will have the ability to work from home.  If you’ve never worked from home before, the shift can feel overwhelming to begin with – especially given the urgency. So, we’ve put together a few key tips to help you get started. 

What’s your work style? 

The great news about working from home is that you have more freedom and control on how you work. It’s good to align how you work in the office, with how you will work from home. Does your productivity peak in the morning or afternoon? Do you prefer to work in a quiet space, or does music help with your creativity? Take some time to figure this out as it will help you to be more productive!

Set up your home office

Creating an effective workspace is an important part of working from home. There are a few factors to think about before you set yourself up  – and it will make all the difference, especially if you’ll be working from home for an extended period of time. You may just have to move some furniture around!

• Do you have a good internet connection – especially if video calling?
• Is the table or desk you are using big enough?
• Do you work better with other people around you or will you use a seperate room?
• Do you prefer to work by a window, or does this distract you?
• Are there extras you need such as walls for post-its or storage for documents?

Get into the mindset

Working from home can be a challenge when surrounded by your home, family or pets so it’s important to get into the right mindset before you start each day. 

One helpful tip is to dress like you would for work – perhaps not so formal in some cases, but even dressing similar to how you do at work will help you get into work-mode. If you’re doing video calls it’s also good to maintain a professional impression. 

Finally, try and start work at the same time you would normally. There is a natural tendency to start earlier given your commute time is now zero, but working the same hours and sticking to your usual schedule will make it feel more like work. 

Keep an eye on your mental and physical well being

Working from home definitely has its advantages, but it also has it’s negative aspects. It’s important to stay on top of these so it doesn’t impact on your mental or physical health. 

Keep in touch with colleagues, not just via email or messaging! Find the time for your usual day to day chats by having a video call to strengthen the social bond!

Maintain your physical health by standing once every hour, practice some stretches, or even go for a morning walk or run to kickstart your day. One thing about working from home is that you tend to burn less calories, so finding the time in your day to exercise will not only make you feel good, it has also been proven to boost your creativity and mood! 

Make the most of lunch breaks

Your lunch breaks are a great opportunity to utilise the freedom of working from home, so try to avoid eating at your desk. Instead, catch up with your friends/colleagues over video call, enjoy some fresh air by going for a walk or run, or even to listen to a podcast and to switch off from work. It will give you some time to recharge, so you’re ready to take on the afternoon! 

The bright side to working from home over this time is that we will become more familiar to a style of work that is becoming increasingly normal. If you have any other issues about working from home, or want to know more details about anything above, please let us know and give us a call on 0800 555 339.