As a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, thousands of organisations worldwide have implemented home working to try to slow the spread of the virus. Although a necessary precaution in the current situation, turning your home into your office can be tricky, so we have come up with a few tips for staying motivated and productive while working from home.
Find your routine
The novelty of being able to stay in bed later — or even work from there — will wear off quickly, so try and retain some semblance of your normal working routine. Wake up more than five minutes before you have to start work, get dressed and have some coffee or breakfast. It’s important that you give yourself time to prepare for the day.
Structure your time
The same goes for your working routine. Structuring your time like you would if you were in the office will recreate the feeling of a normal working day, and will give you goals and tasks to achieve within a definite time period.
Set yourself up properly
As well as the essentials such as a functioning computer and internet connection, try and set up a designated space in your home for working. Creating an area just for you that’s dedicated solely to your work will help you get into the right mindset to work well even at home and be able to switch off any time you aren’t at your desk.
Similarly, make sure you have a comfortable chair that you can sit in all day, as well as good collaboration software and platforms that enable you to stay connected to your colleagues, keep up with company news and attend meetings remotely.
Communicate with others in your house
We all saw the video of the man whose kids barged into the background of his interview live on national television. Let others in your house know that you’re working so they can keep noise to a minimum generally, and especially let them know if you have a call coming up and need them to stay away from you completely!
Take breaks
When you’re working from home it’s more tempting than ever to stay glued to your desk or screen in the hopes of completing everything faster, but just as in your regular office, it’s vital to step away from your desk every now and again and take a concerted break — both mental and physical — from your work.
Switch off
Finally, make sure you sign out of all your devices and accounts at the end of the day. As you can’t physically walk away from them, it’s vital that you turn them — or at least your work notifications — off so you can mentally walk away from your work and use your evening to relax and restore your brain for a busy, productive day tomorrow!
Clearly define what hours you will be working and stick to them, giving yourself a time that you switch off from your work at the end of the day and a clear mental boundary between work time and home time, even in the absence of a physical boundary.
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