Many of you around the UK will be sitting down in your home to do some work which you would have done in an office, in your typical working environment. This can be seen as a modern day luxury by many professionals, but for a few it can be difficult to come to terms with if you are not used to it.
To help you transition to your new working environment, we have come up with 6 top tips to help you work from home more effectively.
- Start your day early
Moving from your bed to your office in the spare room can prove a lot harder when working from home. This is why It’s important to set a routine and start your day as if you were going to work. Pretending like you are going into the office and jumping straight into your to-do list is highly beneficial and is essential to prolonging motivation throughout the day and eradicating lazy behaviour. If you don’t do this, you may find yourself climbing back into bed!
2. Choose a dedicated workspace
You can still have an office even if you’re not in your typical working environment. Dedicating a specific room in your home to work, whether that’s the spare room, bedroom or kitchen. Having a place that is consistently your work space allows you to get in the right frame mind and tackle the day ahead. Avoid using places where there are a lot of distractions, you want to get work done!
3. Plan what you’ll be working on the day before
Thinking about what you are going to do on the day can actually take away from completing those tasks. Bearing this in mind, it’s essential to plan out what you will be working on a day before so that you can go straight into it when you start work. Having a specific agenda which outlines every task for the day allows you to optimise for the “working from home” environment you will be in.
4. Don’t be afraid to listen to music
Listening to music can actually help people focus and redirect their attentions on their workload. It’s important that you don’t have the music too loud as this can be counterproductive opposed to beneficial when trying to get things done.
5. Communicate with colleagues
Being at home, away from the world can be quite daunting and lonely for some people. This is why It’s more important than ever to continue to communicate with your work colleagues. Whether that’s general chit chat or work related discussions, communicating helps keep a positive mental state whilst allowing you to complete your everyday work tasks effectively.
6. Take regular breaks & reward yourself
Sat staring at a computer screen for hours is not an effective way to work when you’re at home. Taking regular, scheduled breaks and speaking to people you live with helps you to de-stress and focuses your mind on something different for 5 minutes. This way of working not only gets you away from your computer screen for a little bit, but also decreases the likelihood of you getting bored on a piece of work. Setting yourself rewards can also help you complete your workload, for example rewarding yourself with a snack once you have finished a specific piece of work.
We hope these top tips help you while you are working from home. Remember, communicate, take regular breaks and stay safe.