How to work from home without losing your mind
- March 20, 2020
We’ve all been told to work from home over the coming weeks to limit the number of workers in each office and avoid the spread of Covid-19. Although you may already work from home a couple of times a week, committing to it full time may be a bit isolating and can disrupt your routine. There are many advantages to working from home, but there can also be disadvantages so we’ve put together a few simple ways in how to work from home successfully and keep productive and positive.
Stick to a routine
Keeping a similar routine to your usual workday will help keep you motivated. By waking at a similar time to usual and setting yourself daily targets (whatever they may be), you will find it easier to work without getting distracted.
Take regular breaks
It’s easy to stare at a screen all day, but you do still need to remember to take some time out, go out for a walk or work through an exercise video, or just make yourself a tea or coffee. Important to remember that physical and mental health are closely linked.
Check ins
It is very important to have some human interaction during the day, by scheduling in calls or video conferences you will have a chance to chat with colleagues and celebrate any success that you’re having.
Dress accordingly
To prepare yourself mentally it’s good to dress as if you were going into work, you will find that it will automatically give you motivation and increase productivity. Not to mention video calls in pyjamas don’t tend to go down well!
Dedicate a space for work
It’s good to have a space within your home that you can associate with work, although it’s not always easy you should try to find a quiet area that you can dedicate to work, then when you finish or need a break you have somewhere to escape from.
Stick to work hours
It can be hard when you’re working from home to switch from work hours to personal hours, however you need to have some time in the evenings to chill out. You could keep track of the time by setting an alarm to go off when you want to finish for the day.
It can be hard working from home every day consecutively, however by getting out to exercise and keeping in close contact with your team (if you have one), you should be able to avoid cabin fever and maintain productivity.