New To Working From Home? Here Are 6 Tips That'll Help You Out
The <sarcasm> joy </sarcasm> that is Covid-19 has brought a lot of changes to every aspect of our lives, from our social calendar to our work schedule. Whilst key workers risk their lives either on the NHS frontline or working to keep some kind of normality to our lives, or stock on the shelves of our supermarkets, some of us have the privilege to be able to carry on with our jobs from the comfort – and more importantly, safety – of our homes. If, like me, you already worked from home, this won’t make much of a difference (minus the interrupting anxiety and potential stream of cancelled jobs), but I thought putting a few tips together for those new to the whole WFH set-up might be helpful.
1. Secure your workspace
Having a place that’s only purpose is to quite literally be a space to work (even if it’s temporary) is the first step to feeling comfortable and more focused when working at home. Whilst it’s not expected for you to fork out on a new desk to create an office environment, you’ll find it beneficial to curate a space that is reserved for working. For example, because I work from home the majority of the time, I do have a desk, but it’s in a room that I use for working and accessing my wardrobe only. That way, I’m able to create an environment where I can “go to” or “leave” work, simply by opening or shutting a door and separating it from the rest of my living space. That’s not to say I don’t have days where I prefer to work at the kitchen table or on the sofa, but if you’re not used to focusing in an at-home environment, I’d recommend getting yourself a space set up pronto.
2. Stick to a solid routine
Just like you would if you were leaving the house to head off to work, routine helps when working at home. Even though working at home technically offers more flexibility and you’re able to do more things in your own time, having structure in your day helps. For example, avoid sleeping in where you can, pay attention to your alarm and go about your morning as you would under normal circumstances. That doesn’t mean you have to start power dressing to rock up to your home office, but by getting out of your pyjamas (even if you’re getting into some equally comfy loungewear), you’re telling your brain you’re ready to work. For example, I can’t work without wearing a bra (or at least a supportive bralet) – don’t ask me why, but it’s part of my routine. The same goes for in the evenings; when you don’t have the commute home to unwind from your day, put something in its place (listening to a podcast, meditating, or checking in with a family member) to mark finishing work for the day, and then go about your evening as you wish.
3. Work the hours you’re actually supposed to
One of the easiest things I’ve found that happens when I work from home is I either underwork or overwork (admittedly it’s mainly the latter in my case). If your contracted hours are 9 to 5, block out that part of your day for work and nothing else. If your company works with flexi-hours, you should be able to gauge how best to manage your time depending on the tasks at hand. If you finish at 5pm, and wouldn’t normally do overtime at your workplace, don’t do it at home either. Taking the commute out of your day can make it tempting to start earlier, finish later, or just do a bit longer to “get in front tomorrow”, but show some discipline when it comes to timings.
4. Set boundaries at home
Everyone’s situation is different, so whilst you’re working from home, you may have a housemate who isn’t working during lockdown for whatever reason. Regardless of their situation, don’t let it distract you from your work day. Set some rules with them before you start working from home and find ways to ensure that their presence at home won’t impact your performance. For example, you might ask for them to not enter a certain room or space during your working hours, request they listen to music through headphones, or avoid anything overly distracting whilst you’re having to concentrate. If you live alone, you won’t have this problem, but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be setting boundaries for yourself. Set your phone to Do Not Disturb, acknowledge your distractions and work in a way that they won’t bother you, tell loved ones not to call during working hours. Whatever keeps you focused, do it.
5. Give yourself the same breaks you’d have at work
This rule goes hand in hand with number 3, as when we’re working from home, we’re more inclined to work through lunch to finish earlier, or skip breaks. Make sure you don’t, and allow yourself the time you’d usually have in the office. Normally take 20 minutes mid-morning for a coffee and a natter with Deb? Coordinate your schedules and allow that time – not only does it break up your day and offer a bit of down-time, but during quarantine it might be one of the few opportunities to interact you’ll have all day. The same goes for lunch time. Give yourself the hour, and if you’d usually spend it with colleagues or friends, jump on a call or video chat whilst you eat. If you can’t resist going back to your laptop, use an app like TimeOut (Mac) or Smart Break (Windows) to lock yourself out of your computer for the time required.
6. Go easy on yourself
During this time, it’s very easy to put pressure on ourselves to be more productive and get more done, but whilst working and just around the house. You might find that you’re more distracted from work than usual, and that’s okay. Not only are you adapting to a new work environment, but there’s a fuck tonne of wild stuff going on in the world around us, so our minds are pretty pre-occupied with everything from current events to worrying about vulnerable family members and friends. Ease yourself in to your new set-up, and don’t beat yourself up if your days aren’t perfect. Don’t use this as an excuse to be a slacker, but at the same time, don’t be so damn hard on yourself.
This new normal is an adjustment for all of us in various ways, but we have to make it work regardless. As always, stay at home, save our NHS, and most importantly, keep safe.
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