Following Boris Johnsons announcement at 08:30pm last night, the UK and it’s people now face a 3-week lockdown with thousands of people likely to be working from home for the foreseeable future.
Below are a few points to help you be a productive as possible over the coming weeks.
Get up and dressed as if you are going into the office
For some people, the prospect of staying in their pyjamas all day is the most tantalising aspect of working from home and it’s what they wish for everyday. But washing and getting dressed will not only improve your state of mind, it will psychologically prepare you to start work as if you are going into the office or travelling to a meeting on your typically working day.
Whether you need to change into business attire depends on the type of person you are and the nature of the job you have. Some people find that dressing formally is helpful, and also useful if they need to dial into a video call – which I’m sure is happen frequently as face to face meetings can no longer go ahead.
Wearing respectable clothes also increases motivation to leave the house and get out for your daily walk. Likewise, changing out of work clothes when you clock off for the day helps your brain to understand that the working day is over and you can chill with a well deserved glass of wine!
Agreement with your employer
If, like the Give The Dog a Bone Team, and you’re employed by a company, you’ll probably have set hours of work, and it’s important to stick to these when you’re working from home – more for your benefit and keeping you occupied while you are in isolation. Be ready to start your day at the same time as you would normally arrive in your office or workplace, typically 9am, and finish your day at the same time – remember this isn’t a holiday!
To get you ready for your working day we find things like allocating some time for a workout or getting a morning walk in will ensure that you are starting your day in the best way possible and preparing yourself for the day.
Pick up the phone or conference call online
If you’re working from home, the chances are you’ll be alone, so you won’t get distracted by colleagues’ conversations and other office noise.
When you’re at work, you’re more likely to engage with colleagues but when you’re working from home, you could spend the whole day without speaking to anyone which can be isolating. If you are alone, make sure that you make some time to pick up the phone and have a real conversation, rather than relying on texting or instant messaging.
Take regular breaks
Like we’ve said, it’s good to have a routine when you’re working from home, but you shouldn’t sit at your desk all day.
You shouldn’t stay glued to your screen all day so it is important to take regular screen breaks and get up from you make shift desk and move around just like you would in your typical office environment.
Research has also found that short breaks throughout the day are more beneficial than less frequent, longer breaks.