With advancing technology working from home is more effective than ever, but how do you remain focused and proactive and also motivated in your home when you are not used to it?
Here are my personal top tips to be as effective and happy as possible when working from home.
Dress for success – Get ready as if you are going to work, shower and put on smart clothes or what you would wear for work – psychologically it makes you feel more professional.
Set your work space – Work in a space that allows you sit up and have all you need around you – the dining table, office, small area in your bedroom, somewhere quiet that you can come away from when you need a break.
Minimise Distractions – Put a note on the front door to say you are not accepting deliveries or to leave on the front door step, turn your personal phone onto silent during core hours and where possible ask others in the house to not come in to where you are working. It’s better to take regular breaks to check on the dog, cat, parents and then go back to your work committed than trying to multitask which is rarely productive.
Plan your day – Set out what needs to be achieved by when just like you would at work, ensure your meetings are in the diary and that you have time blocked out to complete key actions. Set yourself goals of completing things by a certain time to keep the pace that often can lack when it’s just you.
Use Technology – Have all your meetings with clients, colleagues etc over video technology, turn on Skype for Business or Teams and speak to each other face to face. Share screens and be fully present with your emails off while you are in the meeting.
Get together as a team – If your team are working remotely its important you all get together once or twice a day to connect. Have a morning meeting where everyone dials in with their camera on, update and share idea’s and set your pledge for the day to each other so you can review at the end of the day and celebrate the successes or tasks completed.
Have fun – Why not agree that if by Friday you reach your goals as a team that you will all order Pizza together over a skype meeting. Set up a time in the week where you all do the same thing – afternoon tea, yoga, fitness class from You Tube anything that means you connect, laugh and share experiences.
Use your breaks wisely – when you plan your day you can also plan the things you want to do in your breaks, walk the dog, get some fresh air, hang the washing out – its important to still see the outside as being inside all day and night can make us grouchy and fed up. You can sometimes work even longer hours at home as there is no clear end or beginning of the day so be strict and kind on yourself.