Many of us are busily working at home for the first time ever - after years of travelling to and from the office; spending an hour or so a day on the commute. So how is it? Tranquil and productive or a chaotic nightmare? Like many of us, you probably have more hours in your day, more money in your wallet and more time to spend in your bubble... but is that bubble about to pop?
Are you making the most of all the extra free time and energy at your disposal? It's not easy juggling home with a busy work life - there can be enormous struggles to overcome – from setting your physical work boundaries to working out who cooks lunch. Here's a few ideas to help with links to a few free apps and relevant websites!
Workspace - choose an appealing space where you can work productively. Perhaps a corner overlooking the garden, or a quiet spare room in which you feel focused and where you will feel minimal distraction. You may be lucky enough to have a personal home office. Preferably keep out of the way of the kids, dog and noise. Find an inner calm. www.calm.com
Equipment - ensure you have all the equipment you need – such as laptop, printer, scanner, phone, WIFI, light... 'A workman is only as good as his tools!' If necessary invest some money you have saved from not travelling to work, on the right kit for the job. Including a decent ergonomically designed chair, to protect your back. www.ikea.com
De-clutter - try to be super organised and free of messy clutter to have a more productive day. Remember - 'Tidy desk, tidy mind'. At the end of every day tidy your work space and prepare for the next day so that you can return to work with a clean palette. www.sortly.com
Prioritise - your monthly goals should be broken down in to manageable weekly tasks, which you should then allocate to each day. Before packing up each day it is useful to look back and tick off what has been achieved. It will be rewarding to acknowledge success and then set up a new task list for the next day with rough timings. When you wake up the next morning you will know exactly what you need to do. www.todoist.com
Review – remember to check your to-do list again at the start of each new day, and continually refer back to it. There are some great apps out there to help you manage tasks. 'Trello' is very flexible and intuitive. You can invite team members to join your lists and check progress. And it’s free! www.trello.com
Routine - if your routine needs to change daily, you may get out of sync - physically and mentally. This may have a detrimental affect on your work so try to stick to basic routines where you possibly can - where your mind can take a rest from the chaos. PsychologyToday
Communicate – let your colleagues know when they can catch you for a friendly chat. Normally they know where to find you in the office, so when you are working at home they need to be confident that they can still contact you if you are needed. Have a scheduled meeting on a regular basis to ensure maximum collaboration and team participation. www.zoom.com
Share success – announce successes to your team and ask associates to do the same. It is now more important than ever to motivate each other through mutual appreciation and pats on the back. Likewise put time aside to help each other through problems and concerns. If you are working alone, treat yourself as goals are reached and set up a virtual online catch-up with a mentor of friend. www.mentorsme.co.uk
Schedule breaks – if you have few distractions at home, you may get so engrossed in a project that you forget to take a break for lunch, or even to stretch your legs. It’s really important for physical and mental well being to give your eyes and legs a break and to move your body. Set your alarm to stop work, take a break and stick to it. NHS GetActive
Dress for success – so no-one's going to see you all day so what's the point in getting dressed? Dress the part and get mentally positive! Psychologically you will feel much better.
Domestic chores - set up a time each day to get the house chores done and remember to delegate tasks to other members of your bubble; like emptying the dishwasher and making the beds! Use the time that you would have used in commuting to ensure your home is a pleasant place to be! www.yourmodernfamily.com
Exercise - allocate at least 35 minutes a day to exercise - whether that be going for a walk, doing a run or doing an exercise class online. Healthy body, healthy mind! NHS GetActive
Relax! – when you are working at home your work life can easily spill in to your evenings and weekends. It is very easy to work through and carry on taking calls over supper! Try to stop work at a reasonable hour and enjoy your free time so you can approach work with freshly renewed vigour the next working day! www.headspace.com
Meanwhile - hands, face, space – stay at home if you can – and stay safe!
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