With the Coronavirus shaking up the nation causing social distancing and isolation, thousands of people are now working from home. It is important to keep spirits up and to keep productivity levels high. Here are a few tips to help you do this.
- Set yourself up for success
If you are working from home, there are a few things you must take seriously. As appealing as it sounds one of these include not working from your bed. Having a separate space set up that serves as your home office can change your mindset as though you are working from the office.
- Pretend like you are going to the office
While you may be super excited to work all day from home (and in your PJs!) you really shouldn’t, especially if you want to be productive as you work from home. Why? Being in your jammies or sweats can make you feel comfy, and that’s not always a good thing. When working from home, do all the things you would do on a normal day at the office like setting your alarm and getting dressed. The mental association you make between work and the office can make you more productive.
- Structure your day
Being productive during your workday takes some planning. So, either early in the morning, or the night before, make a list of all your to-dos. Having a list in front of you—as opposed to winging it throughout the day—can keep you on point, focused, and increase productivity.
When working from home, you are your own personal manager. Without things like an in-person meeting schedule to break your day up, you can be quick to burn out and lose focus. Ensuring that you segment what you do and when you do it through the course of the day gives you clarity of what is required from you.
- Diminish the distractions.
From a Netflix binge-watching session, to playing with your pet pug. There are endless distractions when you work from home. while having a flexible schedule means that you can take a break to walk your pug, or crash on your couch come lunchtime and watch an episode or two of your favourite show, you still need to stick somewhat to a schedule in order to keep your productivity up.
- Pick up the phone
If you are working from home, it can be a rather lonely place, which means you won’t get distracted by colleagues or office noise. When you are at work you are more likely to engage with colleagues which breaks up your day. Making some time to pickup the phone and have real conversations rather than replying to emails or instant messaging can really boost productivity, making you still feel like you are part of the team.
It is crucial that we stay positive during this this time and ensure that we always keep our mental health and productivity up. Stay safe. Stay positive.
If you need support or advice why not take a look at our Employee Assistance Programme
For more information on the Coronavirus and the new government rulings.
