Work Well, Work at Home

With the situation regarding coronavirus changing on a daily basis and the gravity of the threat under constant reassessment, those of us who can are increasingly choosing to work from home, while others have been left with little choice. Whether their companies have instructed them to stay at home or they are in self-imposed isolation, the whole working from home concept may not necessarily be familiar or welcome. After all, the majority of office workers don۪t regularly work from home and certainly not over a sustained and long, drawn out period. Changing times calls for a change in measures and there are many ways we can make any period of home working work well for ourselves. Here are some tips: Start the day right Approach the day as no different to any other working day and get washed, get dressed and get ready. Staying in pyjamas may seem like a bonus but it doesn۪t set you up mentally for the working hours ahead. Setting the agenda Draft a schedule and stick to it. It۪s easy to drift from one task to another or, conversely, get stuck in one. If you have a schedule to work to, you۪re likely to achieve more and get quality work done. Finding the right workspace Allocate a room in the house that will be the office and make sure that۪s the environment that you use during working hours. Furnish it with the things that you will need to enable you to work and lay the boundary for other family members this is now your workspace. Typical pitfalls Internet surfing; watching television; checking what۪s in the fridge; putting a wash on; updating social media. All are activities designed to grab your attention and take you away from the task in hand. Beware these enemies of work and don۪t fall prey to them or at least not to all of them ! Keep in touch For those used to socializing in the office and chit chatting to colleagues, it will seem strange to suddenly not have them around. There۪s no need to lose the water cooler۪ moments entirely though. This is where our technology and social platforms should really come into play. Set time aside for regular catch ups; make use of video conferencing tools; Skype call and create WhatsApp groups that can ape those casual conversations we all enjoy. We have a challenge here to embrace. As much as we۪re working in solitude, we۪re all in it together and there۪s much to be said for indulging in home comforts and trying to make the most of this time. A pragmatic approach will see us through.