Following the adjustments made to businesses during lockdown last year, more and more businesses have introduced work from home as a flexible work option either temporarily or ongoing in light of the pandemic. For some people the working from home means they struggle to maintain productivity and for others their productivity soars. Below we share some advice on how you can make the most of working from home.
Maintain a routine
Although you no longer need to commute to the office or get dressed corporately for meetings all day, just because it buys you some more time in the morning shouldn’t necessarily mean that you roll straight out of bed to your home office at 8:55am for a 9:00am start. It’s still important when working from home to maintain a strong routine of starting work at the same time or if required maybe even logging on 15 minutes earlier to build out your plan for the day or tick off some smaller tasks ahead of your day. You may find that when you start your day with smaller tasks that you can complete quickly, you tend to build up more momentum which helps you get motivated for the day and helps your productivity levels, it can also help you switch your brain into “work-mode”. Be sure that you still take lunch breaks like you would in the office, even if it’s just to prep your dinner or get some fresh air.
Communicate with your colleagues
Even though you’re not physically in the office with a colleague you should try and maintain open communication with them regularly whether it be via Zoom, Phone or just through a chat program. For some, the ability to not have to engage and be distracted can provide you more focus however this can make it very easy for you to become out of the loop and eventually will make you feel alone if you work from home for extended periods. Staying connected with colleagues and setting regular check in times like a daily briefing or even a works in progress weekly meeting will help maintain a strong team and keep you efficient.
Manage your time & make a plan
Time blocking and making a plan of your tasks the day ahead can be a great way to end every day. It will also help you switch off and make the transition from workday to home time. This time blocking can even be for simple tasks such as allowing yourself 30 mins to go through emails or general administration blocks where you tick off the smaller items you have been putting off for days (we all do it!) This not only helps you stay focused but it will show your colleagues and managers your ability to manage your time independently and also provide you with an overview of your workload to avoid feeling overwhelmed!
Remember to look after you!
Working from home doesn’t mean you have to work consistently from 9 until 5. Make sure you’re still taking regular breaks and take advantage of outside. Go for a nice walk outside, have your coffee in the garden and remember that your health & wellbeing is still important. Even see sometimes if you’re having a standard catch up with a colleague and don’t need to be in front of your computer, pop in your headsets and go for a walk around the block whilst having the meeting.
