Remote Working

How to work from home efficiently

Many of us are used to working from home on the odd occasion but how many of us are used to working remotely, continuously?

With corona virus forcing this new way of working upon us, are we actually prepared for it? While social distancing is going to be with us for the foreseeable future we need to ensure our productivity and well-being form part of a healthy work life balance.

Here are our top tips for working remotely:

Designated workspace - If you can, mark a desk, area in a room or even a whole room, as a working from home room and keep home-life activities to elsewhere in your home. Keeping work and life separate as you would do going to the office for example, will help you switch off at the end of the day. We all work differently and have different requirements when it comes down to our home working, so remember if you need some music to get you through the day, that is OK, you do not have to sit in a quiet room all day.

Proper desk and chair - Ensure you have a proper desk and a good chair to sit at, it will make all the difference to your mood and comfort. If you are not sitting comfortably, for example balancing your laptop on your lap you are unlikely to be productive and it certainly won’t do your posture and body any good. If you need extra peripherals or advise please send us a message and we’d be happy to assist.

Set boundaries - Now you have your designated workspace, try to keep it tidy so that you think clearly and maintain a professional environment. This would be important if you are on video call. Ensure you stick to your normal ‘office hours’ for work and ensure these do not blur into your personal time.

Routine - Try and have a routine like you would if you were going to the office for example, breakfast and coffee\tea followed by morning team calls, email follow ups, and important tasks done before lunch if possible. Know when you are going to have your lunch break, plan if you are having lunch with your partner\child\housemate or going for a walk\run. Plan your afternoon tasks to see you through to the end of the day.

Have a list - Creating a list of things to do at the start of the day will help you try and avoid all the distractions. You’ll want to complete your list, your list of goals for the day.

Increase communication - Using video conferencing applications such as Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, Zoom or Skype to stay in touch with colleagues, clients and suppliers to get the required 'face time' needed throughout the week. Staring at your screen or wall while on audio only calls could disrupt your team vibe. Having daily calls can also help increase transparency in terms of individual and team priorities. If you normally socialise with colleagues outside of the office you could always arrange a catch up after work hours with a glass of wine.

Protect your well-being - Working from home can be difficult so make sure you listen to your body and your mind. If you start to feel lonely reach out to a colleague or friend, have that all important video call. If you find your back starting to ache from sitting down too long, stand up, go for a walk, no matter how short the walk is, it will make you feel better. It is important to take regular breaks and not feel guilty about it, you would walk to the coffee machine in the office and have a chat before returning to your desk. Obviously eating healthy, getting enough sleep and exercise will also contribute to your well-being and remember to switch off at the end of your working day.

There are a lot of things we can learn about ourselves while working from home but there are also a lot of things to learn from others. Keep talking, keep networking and remember to reach out when you need to!

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