Some are used to working from home, others have not done it (a lot) before. For 4 years I have been representing a Danish company in the UAE, meaning that all my colleagues have been in Denmark or around the world. Working from home and not having people around you is VERY HARD, and it, for sure, suits some people more than others. I hope this, and upcoming articles, will inspire you on how to cope with your new workplace setting.
In this first article, I will offer 5 general tips which will help make working from home a little easier, more comfortable, and more efficient.
1) Get up and get dressed.
In the beginning it is nice and fun and comfortable to stay in your pyjamas all day, but eventually it will drag you down and make you lazy. So get up and get dressed for work every morning. Dress for the occasion – online meetings, task to be solved etc. This will also help you to focus on what the day has in store for you.
2) Structure
Make sure to structure your day. Plan the tasks at hand, insert breaks and set a time for when the work day ENDS. For some people it is hard to pull themselves together to get things done. For others it is hard to stop and they just keep working. In this time, where movement and going out is restricted for many people, it is important to still have time off, exercise, have dinner, watch a movie, talk to friends and family online etc. There is a large difference for people living alone, households with only adults, or a family restricted to #stayathome. Therefore, there is no easy answer to the schedule. It must work for you!
3) Eat healthy
Plan for meals and snacks. It is easy to become completely sedentary, eat snacks constantly and comfort yourself with soda and candy. First of all, it doesn’t help with your concentration and focus. The brain still works best on the same kind of food as before Covid-19. Secondly, your body and fitness can quickly deteriorate. To prevent this; plan your food. Shop healthy snacks and prepare what you will have for lunch, so even if lunch break is short you will get a nutritious meal.
4) Change your workposition and workplace
Even if you live in a small apartment, you have options. If you are on a skype call or online meeting you may be able to stand and walk while listening. In the kitchen you may have a high counter, where you can stand up and work for a while. If you don´t have a height adjustable desk, have a box or bookcase at hand, so you can stand up for about 10 minutes every hour. When you get coffee, tea, water or go to the toilet, walk an extra round in the house, around the house, up and down the stairs in the building, or circle the dinner table. Get the extra steps in there any way you can and as often as you can. If you live in a large house, go work at a different location from time to time. Change of scenery is good for the brain and the body. You may even chose to have set locations for different type of tasks (for writing, for talking, for thinking, for reading).
5) Have at least one online meeting or call every day
If not work related, then have a coffee break with a colleague or friend. It is EXTREMELY important to socialize and keep in touch with others. Use this opportunity to network. A lot of people are at home and have more time on their hands. Catch up and help others stay sane. Most people are social beings and these times of isolation can be very challenging. Make sure you do what you can to keep social contact, use colleagues for sparring (even if it may not be needed), and also try to be aware of colleagues and friends who may not be good at this and help them along by inviting them for online coffee.
Hope this has inspired you to making your home workplace a little better and a happier place for you to stay and work!
Stay positive, stay connected, stay busy!