Tips for working at home

With the Coronavirus pandemic, many people are working from home for the first time.

As of Thursday 19th March we’ll be working from home, but otherwise, it will be business as usual. The usual lines of communication will stay open, the office phone number will be redirected to our mobile phones, emails will be no different, and we have new video conferencing tools to stay in touch with clients and each other.

We’re quite fortunate here at Xposure, most of our work can be done with a decent internet connection and a laptop – and on occasion, all of us have done this before. I personally found it quite tricky at first, there are so many distractions and things that need doing around the house – there’s only so many times I can walk past the small pile of dishes next to the sink.

I thought I’d share a few tips I’ve learned over the last couple years, and a few other suggestions I’ve found from around the web to help make working from home a bit easier, help you stay efficient, and not lose your mind!

Stick closely to your established routine

Although you may have some extra time in bed without a commute, aim to wake up around the same time every day. This helps stabilise your internal clock and is less of a shift in habits.

Start your day at the same time as you would normally arrive at work, and aim to finish your day at the usual time – just because you can work all evening now doesn’t mean you should. Come 5:00pm (or whenever you finish) it’s best to switch off the computer and put away any documents or other items.

If you can, try to separate out a workspace, preferably with a properly adjusted chair and a desk near a window for natural light and fresh air.

Up and dressed!

As tempting as it is to have an extra half hour lay in, then work in your pyjamas, it’s amazing the difference in a state of mind getting up at the normal time, having a shower and dressing for work makes to your frame of mind.

Now I’m not saying I’ll be wearing a tie at home – after all, I don’t at the office, but others do find business attire helpful. It might also be something to keep in mind if you’re video-calling clients.

Whilst I tend not to do this, I’ve read that changing out of work clothes when you finish for the day helps your mind better grasp that the workday is over – handy for if you’re struggling with the work/life balance.

Wearing suitable clothes also increases your motivation to leave the house. And on that note…

Out and about (if you’re not self-isolating)

While I actually quite like my drive to/from work, I find it nicely book-ends the day and helps me switch from one mode to the other. You, on the other hand, might not miss your daily commute – but it does guarantee that you leave the house at least once during the day.

Try to take a break from staring at the same four walls, get outside and enjoy some fresh air, even if it’s just popping out to the garden for a few minutes. It’ll help blow the cobwebs away, and maybe when you get back to your desk (or whatever is being substituted for a desk) you’ll be able to look at a problem with a fresh pair of eyes.

Do you normally take an hour for lunch? Maybe consider going on a short walk – of course, being conscious of social distance requirements. Some people recommend doing this in the mornings and evenings as a mental replacement for their commute. I’ve not tried it myself, but depending on how long the Government recommends we work remotely, I might be giving this a go.

Taking Breaks

Related to the last one, but be careful not to let your routine become too monotonous – it’ll dampen your productivity and isn’t great for your mental well-being.

Regardless of working at home or not, you shouldn’t stay glued to your screen all day, regular screen breaks to get up and move around are recommended anyway.

Short breaks where you change activity have been proven to be beneficial – the perfect time to do those dishes I mentioned before!

There are plenty of methods to manage your time productively, from the famous Pomodoro technique, to the 90/30 minute time split, and many others. Find what works best for you and try to stick to it.

Solitary working

Chances are you’re used to a busy office, with the hustle and bustle of colleague conversations, whereas working from home you’re likely to be alone. Whilst this makes the tea and coffee run much easier, it can be a lonely existence spending the whole day without talking to anyone.

Try to pick up the phone more often, or use video conferring rather than relying solely on emails or instant messenger. Actually calling people and having a conversation can be much more stimulating and productive than a chain of emails.

We’ll be using our new XposureHUB video chat feature each morning for a half-hour meeting to update each other, and we’ll probably end up using it more often than that. We’ll also be using video conferencing to chat to clients wherever possible.

I’ve also heard it suggested you keep the radio on in the background if you’re used to a noisier environment. I’d urge caution with this one though, if you’re prone to worrying, the constant news updates may not be the best for your mental health.

I hope that’s of help. Hopefully, this situation won’t last too long, and in a couple of months, we’ll be looking back and wondering how it came to this.

Stay safe, and productive!