17th April 2020
During the current lockdown period, the government has told the UK public that we should now be working from home where possible in a bid to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
Apart from key workers, no one should be leaving their home other than to buy food, medicine, or to go for a once-daily walk or run.
That means lots of us are dealing with an unusual challenge: working from home for the first time, full-time.
Even if you’ve done it before, working from home because of coronavirus might feel like a whole new world: It’s probably sudden, it’s likely to be for an extended period of time, your whole company is involved and you can’t currently socialize in person outside of work.
Until we all come out the other side of this pandemic, our top tips below will help you make sure that you’re successful, both at getting your work done and at maintaining your mental well-being:
Having a space to work is crucial for your state of mind and not just in terms of being in a “working” mind-set but so you are able to turn off when the working day is over.
Where possible, set aside a specific, separate area in your home where you can set yourself up – ideally with a properly adjusted desk and chair, similar to your workplace.
The NHS advice is that you should adjust your chair so you can use the keyboard with your wrists and forearms straight and level with the floor.
Getting dressed in the morning will not only improve your state of mind, it will psychologically prepare you to start work.
It is important to stick to your working hours. Be ready to start your day at the same time, as you would normally arrive in the office and finish your day at the same time.
At the end of a working day, it is best to switch off your computer and tidy away other items.
Set yourself a target each day and monitor this to ensure you are achieving your goals.
Share your successes with your line manager and your team to motivate others to work in the same way.
When working from home, you can be quick to lose focus or burn out.
To stay on schedule, segment what you will do and when over the course of the day. If you have an online calendar, create personal events and reminders that tell you when to shift gears and start on new tasks.
It can be easy to feel like you are working alone when you work from home. However, although this might be true physically, don’t forget about your colleagues who are also working at home or in the office. Check in with your line manager and colleagues and offer support where you can.
If you experience any IT issues, make sure you communicate this to the relevant colleague/manager so that the problem can be resolved quickly and avoid any delays.
Breaks are important to boost productivity. Be sure to take regular breaks and a full lunch break; try to stay away from your computer during this time as well. You will feel rejuvenated when you return to your desk to tackle the full working day.
