WORKING FROM HOME
Working from home is a bit of a hot topic at the moment, with so many people not being able to go into the office because of the pandemic. I don’t know if I would consider myself an expert but I’ve worked from home for a total of 6 years now so suppose I do have some tips I can share. I’ve tried to keep this short as there is so much advice out there; I’ve only included what I think is most important and how it works in practice for me.
GET CHANGED
I think this is one of the most important things: you need to get dressed. Some people will say you should put on jeans or office wear, but I think all that matters is that you get changed out of your pyjamas, even if that just means putting on tracksuit bottoms. I would suggest putting on clean and relatively nice comfy clothes though (meaning nothing falling apart or stained).
HAVE A MORNING ROUTINE THAT WORKS FOR YOU
I like to get up, make my bed, and check my email before getting dressed and making tea. I know some people will suggest not going near your computer until you’re completely ready to start work, but I’m not a morning person and I really struggle getting up. I need a short and sweet routine, and I find looking at my email forces me to get myself ready to start working. However, if you are a morning person, I would suggest really taking advantage of the time and enjoying it before sitting down at the computer. It’s going to be different for everyone, but I think the most important part is just having a routine that gets you set up for a day and starting to work on time.
HAVE YOUR OWN SET-UP
Most of the advice online suggest having a completely different room where you work, which is obviously the ideal situation and if you can do, definitely do. But not all of us have an extra room. I have a small desk set up in my bedroom and while it would be nice if it was bigger, it works well for me. Sitting at that desk means I’m working.
TAKE BREAKS
Set yourself breaks and stick to them so you avoid taking too many or too little. I would suggest setting alarms for yourself and giving yourself realistic targets. Again, you need to figure out what works for you. If you need to be strict with yourself, be strict. If you need to be flexible, be flexible. Sometimes, if I’m really finding it hard to be motivated and get things done at my desk, I’ll take a break, get up and do something else, even just for 15 minuets. Make a cup of tea or do something that will make you feel like you’ve accomplished something (i.e. put the laundry on or empty the dishwasher), then get back to work. But if you’re taking a bit too much time off, use breaks as an incentive to get things done.
TURN OFF YOUR COMPUTER AT THE END OF THE DAY
It’s easy to get up at the end of the day and leave your computer on in case you get an email, but it’s important to make sure you make the distinction that the work day is over. It’s also a good idea to go for a walk, almost as if you’re commuting home, when you finish up for the day.
If you can’t tell, there is a general theme going through all this, and that is, find what works for you. There is tons of advice out there, so try everything. Be honest with yourself about the kind of person you are and how you work best. But remember, this is a weird time for everyone so be kind to yourself as you try to navigate it. It is going to be a struggle to be productive at times, the goal is just to set yourself up the best you can and then do your best with whatever you’re dealing with that day.