Working from home tips

We’ve scoured the internet for the best working from home tips to get us through the coronavirus outbreak. In today’s post we want to share them with you.

Build habits and routines

Getting into a consistent routine will:

• help you and your family members – including any kids in your home! – stay calm amidst the uncertainty of this changing situation
• make it easier to maintain a work/life balance
• help you get into the right frame of mind for work.

Any work-from-home day is inevitably going to be different from a normal working day in the office – all the more so if you have children at home. But it’s a good idea to try and stick to a schedule as much as you can. Try to get up and prepared for the day at around the same time you normally would. Set alarms to help you start and finish work at around your usual times of the day. And try to take a proper lunch break.

Be as firm as you can with anyone who shares your home. Obviously this is much easier said than done when it comes to very small children! Your employer should be sympathetic to remote workers who have babies or toddlers underfoot. But make sure older children, partners and housemates know that when you’re working, they need to leave you alone!

Create the best work environment you can

Working from the sofa might be tempting, but it’s all too easy to find yourself watching TV while answering your emails. That’s not going to end well! Setting up a dedicated workspace will help you, and everyone else in your house, remember that you’re supposed to be working. And you’ll find it easier to relax in the rest of your space.

We like quill.com’s tips on how to make your home office more effective. Not all of them will be practical for everyone, but do what you can. Working near a window, for example, will help lift your mood with natural light. And if you can open it every now and again to get some fresh air, even better!

Think about how your workspace sounds, too. You might need headphones to block out distracting sounds from the rest of the house. If you don’t like to listen to music while you’re working, search online for a white noise app. Or if you’re finding it hard to stay focused with no-one else around, try an app or website that recreates ambient noise. We like Coffitivity.

Get dressed up…or at least get dressed

Putting on a suit and/or high heels to go and work in your kitchen is probably overkill. But sticking to your normal morning routine will help you get into the right frame of mind for work. So get into work clothes for your work hours. Try to save the PJs for bedtime.

Stay connected

Video conferencing isn’t without its challenges, but staying connected while you work remotely is important both for your productivity and your mental health. WhatsApp and social media can be great ways to stay in touch with the outside world, but try to avoid constantly refreshing coronavirus news. Make use of tools like Zoom, as well as whatever technology your employer uses for conference calls, to stay in touch with colleagues in real time.

Boost your internet connection

As you’ve probably noticed, all UK broadband services are under extreme and unprecedented strain right now.  Here are some things you can try to speed up your broadband connection:

• keep your router on a shelf or table rather than on the floor. And don’t hide it behind the TV! It will work better when it’s free of obstructions
• plug the router into your main phone cable and make sure the cable isn’t tangled
• connect to the router via an ethernet cable if you have one
• disconnect devices from the WiFi when you’re not using them
• remember your microwave can affect your WiFi speed. That’s not a late April Fool’s joke – it really can! So maybe that video call isn’t the best time to reheat your coffee…
• for advanced level tips, check out the work-from-home WiFi tutorials at Metageek
• if all else fails, switch your router off and on again!

Keep it moving

It’s well documented that sitting behind a desk all day can be bad for your health. And without our usual commute and leisure activities, we’re all at risk of an even more sedentary lifestyle than ever. Make some time to move around every day, whether that’s your daily permitted outdoor walk or run, PE with Joe Wicks or Yoga with Adriene.

Give yourself a break

It’s a strange and stressful time for all of us. Especially if you’ve got kids at home, you’re worried about your health or a loved one, or you’re just struggling to deal with this difficult and uncertain new world – don’t give yourself a hard time if you don’t achieve everything you want to every day. We’re all doing our best, and that’s the best we can do! Check out our tips on surviving self-isolation.

 

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