Tens of thousands of people of working from home in the UK this week and that is set to increase more and more as the weeks go on.
For many people working from home is normal but for a lot of us, myself included it’s still something were getting used too.
So if your just following government advice or self-isolating what’s the best say to work well at home and stay motivated?
1. Get Dressed!
Getting dressed into work attire will help your brain understand that its time to work. Many companies are also requesting video calls with staff, being dressed smartly will help to show your boss that you are still taking work seriously in these strange times.
We all sometimes love the idea of staying in our PJ’S or scruffs all days but making an effort and getting dressed not only will help your state of mind but will also help prepare your brain for work and take on the tasks of the day.
2. Boundaries!
Its important to find a routine and stick to it, ideally as similar to your existing work routine as possible. If you have set working hours try and stick to these as best as possible, so if you usually get up at 6.30 and get to the office at 8 and work till 4.30 do that. This will not only help your brain focus but it also gives you a goal to aim.
We all know how hard it can be working from home with kids interrupting or dogs wanting to play, it oks to take advantage of working from home and embrace these things a little but its also important to be strong willed and tell your family you are at work and you need a get your work done even through you’re at home.
At the end of the day you are still being paid.
3. Exercise (If you’re not in self isolation)
When working from home its easy to find yourself sitting at a desk barely moving for hours as your don’t have your friend to chat to at the other side of the office or that brew to make on the ground floor. If you can and are not self isolating follow the government guidelines and pop out for a quick walk around the block, estate or down the lane to stretch your legs, give your eyes and brain a rest and recharge.
If you cant manage that, take regular breaks from the computer and walk around your garden, house or flat just to get the blood flowing as you will feel better im sure.
4. Conversation!
Working from home can be very lonely as we can all easily go all day without talking to anyone, for most people that is neither good for your mental health or productivity.
Video or voice calls a few times a day with colleagues to have a real conversation, makes you feel far more connected than emails, social messages or just reading on the internet. Calls will be far more stimulating, aid in productivity and often you will end the call feeling a lot better so make the effort to chat about work or general life.
5. Breaks!
Getting up and moving around, weather that is to stretch your legs, make a coffee or pop to the loo is very important. At work normally you will have lots of little breaks that split up the working day and research has found that for most people this aids in their productivity. Working from home should be different.
We shouldn’t stay glued to our computer screens all day so get up move away from the screen and have a break even if it’s just for 5 minutes.
If all these tips fail, well during these crazy times just remember to do your best, get a bit of work done, play with the kids, dog, cat or anything else and switch off work when you can and have time for yourself!
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