Many of us are overjoyed at the prospect of working from home due to coronavirus for the next few weeks or even months! However, we soon realize that the novelty of working at home can wear off quickly. So here are my top 10 tips for working at home and staying productive.
#1 Get up 1 hour before work starts
So you’re working from home and enjoying the lack of commute and extra sleep. But don’t take this too far! It’s important to get up at least one hour before you start work so you can have a proper breakfast, coffee or even do some cleaning to clear your mind. Whatever your usual routine is, make sure you stick to it!
#2 Get dressed
You may feel tempted to work in your PJ’s, but if you feel lazy, you’re probably going to end up working lazy too. So get dressed, make sure you’re comfortable and feeling professional. Now i’m not saying put on your best suit, but at least put on some nice clothes to lift your mind out of ‘lazy mode’.
#3 Take regular breaks
Taking breaks can be difficult when working from home. You no longer have the regular coffee breaks or walks with your colleagues to and from meetings. So it can be very easy to fall into the habit of working for hours and not knowing where the time went. Eventually, this will burn you out, so take regular breaks, go and make that cup of coffee or even read a book for a few minutes. Anything to give your mind a rest from work.
#4 Move around
Where do you usually work? On the sofa, at a desk, or even in bed? It’s important to move around when you’re at home and choose new places to work for a few hours. It keeps everything fresh and can stop you from falling into a black hole of creativity.
#5 Talk to someone
If you have a partner or loved one at home with you, then talk to them! Isolation can be really damaging to your mental health, so make sure you’re having the same daily social contact that you would in the office. Live alone? Then pick up the phone and call a friend to catch up, even for a few minutes.
#6 Don’t switch on the TV
We all know how tempting it can be to just switch on the TV and pretend to do some work at the same time. Well, don’t! You’re only lying to yourself if you think you can work and be just as productive while your favorite TV show is on at the same time.
#7 Use music to boost your mood
Instead of the TV, why not put some music on? If you’re feeling isolated and lonely, this can really help to boost your spirits and lift your mood. Make sure it’s not too loud though, so you can still think!
#8 Use video calls
If you’re having a meeting or phone call with your colleagues, make it into a video call! Not only can this help to boost your spirits, but it always helps to see people’s expressions in order to get a better understanding of what they’re saying. Besides, it’s another reason to get dressed as well!
#9 Avoid snacking
The fridge is just a few meters away and maybe you’re getting bored, so it can be tempting to dive in for a quick snack. We all know this is a bad habit to get into, but many of us continue to do it anyway! If you’re getting bored, try to leave the house for a while or do something else so you don’t feel tempted to resort to eating.
#10 Know when to stop
Usually leave the office at 5pm? Well don’t be tempted to keep on working, just because you’re already at home. It can be difficult to know when to stop sometimes, but it’s important to keep the work-life balance while you’re at home. So don’t feel bad about switching off and having some relaxation time to destress after a long day.