Working from Home

Remember when working from home was once a luxury?

For some, the idea of working remotely within the comfort of your own home is the perfect example of a work/life balance. For others, if your partner is also working from home, you’re short of workspace and you’ve got children to home school, it can be a different environment all together.

Getting a good work-life balance is hard and staying positive can be difficult, but as we look set for more weeks on lockdown, it's vital you do so to avoid wearing yourself out.

At itecopeople we are used to working from home however we appreciate what might work for us, may not work for you. But, by having a routine, minimising distractions and communicating with your team and clients, makes it much easier.

Here are our top tips for success:

Get dressed!

For some, the idea of working all day in their pyjamas may seem like a dream come true but psychologically it’s better to get dressed - especially if you need to jump on an impromptu video call! Getting dressed can also be good for our state of mind, productivity and mental health, as explained in this article by Lauren Geall.

Plan your time, choose your working hours and stick to them

You may be employed by a company and have set hours of work and so it's important to stick to these when you're working from home. If not, still be ready to start your day at the same time as you would normally arrive in your office or workplace, and finish your day at the same time. Here are some ideas to help you structure your day for maximum productivity.

Create the right workspace

We’re not suggesting that everyone needs a self-contained home office but if there are other people in the house, finding a space where you're not likely to be disturbed is essential. Here are some guidelines to optimise your posture and comfort. However, if you’re feeling creative here are some alternative workspace suggestions too!

Take your daily exercise

Once you’re in a routine it’s easy to find yourself sitting in front of a screen for hours on end. It's important to take regular breaks and get up from your desk and move around just as you would in an office. Make the most of the sunshine and take a stroll around your garden, or here are five exercises you can do inside.

Keep connected

If you're working from home and alone, you could end up spending the whole day without speaking to anyone, which can be isolating. Whilst we can all stay connected using video software such as Zoom, GoogleHangout or Skype, make some time to pick up the phone and have a real conversation too.  Thankfully there are also a variety of tools available for team workflow and collaboration such as Microsoft Teams or you want to easily organise and plan workflows and projects, then maybe it’s time to use a work management tool such as Asana, Trello or Monday.com

Be healthy

As the stresses of lockdown take their toll, too many of us are turning to the cake tin and drinking more than our normal amount of tea and coffee, right?   The World Health Organisation says maintaining a healthy diet plays a ‘crucial role’ in how well people recover from Covid-19 so keeping a healthy diet is a must. So, do you know your No, Grow and Glow foods?

Whatever the future holds, right now our physical health and mental wellbeing are a priority. Here are some great free Apps to download from yoga classes to meditation and even exercise sessions for your little ones.

We know there are lots of positives out there. We’ve seen lots of acts of kindness, generosity and community spirit but this is a time for us to be proactive about creating small moments of happiness, fostering positive emotions and strengthening connections for ourselves.  So the next time you’re rudely interrupted by your partner, child or hungry cat just remember, take a deep breathe, smile and be thankful.