The Good Guide to Working from Home

Earlier this year, we caught up with a few remote workers to put some solid advice together for those of you who have just started (or are already well-acquainted with) your remote working journey. Now, with many of us urged to work from home once again, here are our tips on how to develop healthy habits from the get-go...

1. Walk to Work

Yes, walk to work, it sounds simple but almost every remote worker we spoke to recommends that a brisk walk in the morning will get you in a better frame of mind for the working day ahead. So, once you have had your breakfast or coffee, head out that door and take a 15 to 30-minute walk, get some fresh air and clear the mind.

2. Set Up Your Work Area

Create your workspace, ideally in a dedicated room. Clear it of clutter and get yourself set up with your laptop, phone and any documents you may need. 

If you already have your workspace set up but feel uninspired by it, try adding a couple of framed photographs of people or places you love to your desk. Decorate the wall behind it with some affordable art, posters or postcards, or, if possible, move your desk to face a window with a view. Having some new and colourful items in your working environment can help boost your mood and productivity level. 

3. Select Your Tools

If your employer has not already recommended tools for you to use, we recommend the following;

a. Work Chat - Slack: 

Don’t use Whatsapp, keep that for personal conversations. See the top 5 tips for getting started on slack HERE.

b. Discord or Zoom:

Discord is mainly for gamers but it is free to use and has video and chat tools. Zoom is the biggest video conferencing tool in the world right now and will have all you need for meetings and file sharing. Google Meet and Microsoft Teams are also good alternatives. 

4. Video Breaktime

Plan your break times with colleagues over video and have the chats. Social interaction at the office may continue to be limited over the coming months so make sure to have those water-cooler moments face to face using your teams preferred video conferencing tools. 

5. Plan Your Day

Make yourself a little plan every morning on what you need to achieve. Break down large tasks into deliverables and work through a to-do list. Don't beat yourself up if you are not as productive as you would be in an office, there will be a period of adjustment and you will get there. 

AVOID THE SOFA

6. Lunch Break

Make sure you stop for lunch, get up and get away from the screen for 30 to 60 minutes. Recharge the batteries and try to avoid the T.V., the couch is a death trap, can be difficult to get off and it could scupper your day. 

Have a healthy lunch and keep your immune system on track. If possible, get out for a 10 to 15-minute walk and clear the head before getting stuck in for the afternoon. 

7. Rinse and Repeat

Get stuck back in for the afternoon, and use the last 30 minutes of your day to review what you have accomplished today and make your plan for tomorrow. If you are working as part of a team, Trello is a great tool for sharing tasks over larger projects. 

Above all, be patient with yourself during these trying times. Depending on your situation, working from home will always be more challenging for some. With time and healthy routines, however, it may become a little easier.