Coronavirus: Essential tips for working from home
No toilet roll in Asda, hand sanitizer flying off the shelves and working from home – three topics that have absolutely consumed the conversations of the British public this past week. If you thought we’d follow the crowd by feeding into that… you’d be right.
Amid the absolute sheer panic of Coronavirus, it’s highly likely that a lot of us will be working from home, or WFH. The pandemic is forcing companies to quickly modernise their approach to it which means the average working person who doesn’t usually WFH is going to have to quickly adapt. Time to exercise that ‘highly adaptable’ skill that’s on everyone’s CV.
It’s a dangerous mix – you’re free to stay in pyjamas all day but you’re still required to do your job. Here are a few ideas to make the most of it, avoid going stir crazy and even enjoy it.
Do a trial run
One for the bosses – if your employees don’t usually WFH, this is a productive way to be certain that business can go on as usual and minimise any stress. A trial run ensures everyone can access the various systems from home and actually know their passwords!
Maintain regular hours
You will have heard this one before, but it is not one to take lightly. Be honest with yourself about when you work best. Pick a finishing time and stick to it – it’s important to keep the routine of a normal working day to avoid slipping into student mode.
Get up, showered and dressed
Do not stay in pyjamas until 4pm if you want to feel like a functioning adult. Plus, if you put on a pair of jeans then you’re likely to be a bit uncomfortable and less likely to fall into the sofa and Netflix trap.
Log out of social media
You’re free from judging eyes – there’s absolutely nothing and no one stopping you from an endless stream of scrolling. If you log out, instead of being submerged into the Instagram abyss, you’ll be met with a log in page that will subtly remind you that you need to be working.
Exercise during what would be your commute
WFH is a gravitational pull toward sloth-like behaviour. Combat that by using the time that would’ve been spent on a train or in the car wisely! This isn’t just for the morning, light exercise or yoga at the end of your ‘working’ day can help to keep WFH life and home life separate.
Embrace your new lunch freedom
Treat yourself to a decadent lunch – one of the advantages of WFH. A welcomed change from the endless loop of Tesco meal deals – carve out a lunch break time for your own sanity and stick to it. Want that smelly broccoli that everyone deemed poor office etiquette? Treat yourself.
Do a quick tidy before you start working
It’s so easy distract yourself with house admin. The dishwasher needs unloading, the floor needs hoovering, might as well pop on some washing. These are excuses to make you feel better about not doing the work you’re supposed to be! Avoid doing this by a quick spritz in the morning. Also, productivity levels are likely to drastically go down if you’re working in what resembles a sty.
Here are a few words from the wise, our resident WFH-er/Marketing Coordinator, Felicity:
- Separate your workspace from your living space
- Fill your cupboards with healthy snacks
- Go out for some air before you start
- Give yourself breaks to combat procrastination
The future is uncertain and that’s a worrying thing. Hopefully, companies will come out of this pandemic more resilient and even stronger. Employees must facilitate that by doing what they can to keep the cogs turning and the hamster wheel wheeling!
