With the impact of COVID-19 being felt around the world, for the majority of our teams working remotely is becoming “the new normal”. So we felt it may be useful to provide you with some top tips on how to make the most of working from home, or just to maintain your motivation in the current situation.
- Get ready for the day
Getting ready for the day can be interpreted in many different ways depending on the type of job that you have or what activities your day is filled with. For example, if your day is filled with online meetings with individuals from across the business, you may feel the need to dress differently to if you were using the day to clear down your inbox.In some cases, people will find that dressing formally enables them to better perform and provides them with the feeling that they are in an office environment. If they have virtual meetings this is usually the most appropriate way to dress, as they would if they were physically at work.
But for many others, the point of getting ready is being forced to shower and change out of clothes they associate with sleep and rest, even if that means just changing into a t-shirt and jeans.
Changing out of work clothes when you clock off for the day helps your brain to understand that the working day is over.
- Set up a designated workspace
Separate space for yourself to work in, somewhere you can focus on tasks without being distracted and set up with everything you need for a normal working day – computer, phone, stationery, papers…etc.This space does not have to be a separate room or allocated office. For example, this could be a place at your dining room table where you set up a work station during the day with your laptop and equipment and then in the evenings and weekends this is cleared for the space to regain its original function.
Remember having a space to work in is crucial for your state of mind, and not just in terms of being in a “working” mind set but also so you’re able to turn off when the working day is over.
- Write a daily to-do list
Set out a list of realistic, achievable tasks to keep you focused. - Know when to step away from your desk
Be clear about when your working day begins and ends and take breaks to refresh. It’s easy to let yourself be ‘always on’ when your home and place of work are the same. When work is over, be sure you switch off to avoid burnout. Think about having ‘core hours’ which people you work with are around for. - Stay connectedContribute regularly to team chats/group emails so you don’t drop off the radar. Ask about what people are working on and share what’s on your plate. Being physically separated means you miss the ‘coffee machine moments’ so this is a means to keep informed.
If you are having any challenges, speak with your line manager or the Services team and we will do our best to assist you where we can.