5 Tips for working from home
1. Location, Location, Location
Try to find yourself a dedicated and comfortable spot to work that minimises the chances of disruption and distraction. For some this is setting up a space in a spare room, garage or even a quiet corner, but wherever you decide to set up make it your own and tell everyone else that its your work space and to treat it as that.
In some cases the ideal space can be created by moving potential distractions away from you new location, be that the television, kids toys or the cookie jar!!!
Regardless of space or location, establish an area of your home where you will work, and commit to working in this space every day.
2. Protect your space
When you work in an office environment it is easier to separate your personal and work lives, this becomes a whole lot harder when the two are located in the same place. A simple trick is to keep all of your work related items at your new desk space and not bring them into the rest of the home, likewise leave your home stuff away from the desk. No one wants to spend the day trying to work, while looking at a pile of dirty dishes.
3. Structure your day
Planning and structuring your day is vital to getting the most out of your new environment. Set your “work hours” and make sure you keep to them as best you can. Also, make sure you keep your normal morning and evening routines, get up, wash, get out of your bed clothes etc and treat you workplace as if you had others in the office with you. Beyond psychologically getting you in the right mindset for work, you’ll be ready to handle any kind of video chat or check-in with a teammate. You’ll be prepared to get work done, and you will be mentally and physically prepared for the day.
4. Use your space to your advantage
For many eating well and keeping your mind and body healthy is harder when based in an office with other colleagues. Now that you’re based from home, eating healthy and getting up to move and stretch are much easier and will get less funny looks!!! Set a timer every hour to get up an move, take a short walk, stretch and think of something different. Fill your cupboards with lots of good food (and a couple of treats) and use this change to start a new way of eating.
5. Switch off
When you work from home it can be very easy to keep working beyond your planned finish time because the work is just there. Don’t forget to log off, close the laptop and if possible relax and have family life in a different room. Distance yourself from work, so you don’t work nonstop.
Also don’t forget to talk to others, catch up with co-workers during the day, talk to clients or suppliers or even phone a friend or family member. Working from home should not be an isolating experience, rather if its done right so show real benefits in work/life balance.
