I have been working from home since March last year alongside many many other people and like everyone else we thought it would be a ~breeze~ and be back to the office within a month or so. AND WE THOUGHT WRONG! Here we are 10 months later…
Surprisingly I have actually enjoyed working from home and I have become more of a home comforts gal. Of course there are some downsides of being in the same four walls and not having that social contact but there’s nothing a Zoom or FaceTime can’t fix by catching up with your nearest and dearest (I know it’s not the same but it’s still something!).
So as we go into our next lockdown I thought I would share some tips/ tricks and advise on how you can manage your time effectively from working from home. Whether you are new to WFH or have been here since March, in an office based job or studying in school/college/uni, I hope these tips help you in some way! 🙂
- DO THE BASICS
I mean the literal basics – having a shower or brushing your teeth. This probably sounds disgusting to say and hear but believe me, it can be easily missed. We get caught up in a busy schedule and even something like going to the toilet or having something to eat too. My advice would be to get up, make your bed so your not tempted to get back in and brush your teeth before going to your workspace. Also, change out of your pjs and get in your comfies. Joggers and a hoodie can be good enough even if your on the camera.
2. CREATE A SCHEDULE
Food – creating some sort of meal schedule can help you plan how your working week will go. Say your day is filled with meetings, the best thing I would do is to make foods that are super simple and quick to make. I also would recommend cooking a bigger portion the previous evening to have the next day as leftovers.
Workload – by writing down all you need to achieve that day or week can really help visualise everything you need to complete. Although reminders are good on emails, you might have set a reminder for the end of the day when it could potentially take you a couple of hours to complete. It is also important to write out what you need to do in terms of deadlines – one short task could take you five minutes to complete but it’s not due for a couple of weeks. I personally would leave it until then and focus on the bigger tasks first. For researching tasks or exams, try and mix up the revision schedule as you don’t want to overdo on one subject/topic too much and not put the same effort into the others.
3. HAVE A DESIGNATED WORKSPACE
As comfy as the soft office is (snuggled in bed or in blankets on the sofa), it really is good to have a workspace set up. Not only will this be better for your body – arms, back, eyesight; it will help you get out of the four walls. You don’t want to be working, revising, chilling and sleeping in the same room. Try and have a space set up in a spare room with a desk or your dining room table can be just as good. Plus, your not distracted by the TV too.
4. LEAVING THE HOUSE
If your anything like me and enjoy the comforts of your own home, sometimes you forget about the outside world. Taking a walk can really help if your sat down all day & gets all those muscles moving again. Plus it is really good for mental health and if you have had a stressful morning or day – just remove yourself from the situation and take a small walk. Take the time to fit this into your lunch break or after you finish work will make you feel better and more energised. The fresh air will do you good.
5. TAKING REGULAR BREAKS
If your workplace is anything like mine, they encourage more regular breaks than normal. Something as simple as getting up to brush your teeth, loading the dishwasher, putting a load of washing on or chopping up tonight’s tea. It is good to take a small break every half hour to hour so you are not constantly staring at the screen all day. While we’re here, eat your lunch separately from your workstation.
As well as some of my tips that I would recommend to do daily, I have also complied a list of other tips and advice if you would like to consider :
- Use your holidays – even if you’ve got nowhere to go, take the day to yourself – watch films, spa days, a longer walk
- Take the advantage of working from home. I’m not saying spend the whole day baking a cake, but if you got the time to pop something in the oven for lunch, do it!
- Look into a tax refund. The Gov website says how you can claim back tax since March.
- Have a clear workspace and surroundings. Nothing worse than a messy workspace.
It might seem like this is forever ongoing but treasure the time you have at home. Help and advise is always around from family, friends and your colleagues. We are all in this together! ✨
Xo
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