In this next instalment of our blog series we run through some tips on how you can make working from home part of your new routine.
Get up, get showered, get dressed
Start your work day as though you are physically leaving the house to go to work – it helps put you in the right mindset with the right energy for the day ahead. As tempting as it may seem to work from bed it will actually leave you feeling sluggish and negative. Your bed should be your haven and somewhere to retreat to and relax – not somewhere where you work.
Claim an area within the house as your designated workspace
It’s important to have areas that are designated ‘work’ and ‘play’. You may need to have a re-think of furniture layouts to make things work for you and your family.
Agree with your house ‘colleagues’ who is going to work where – some people enjoy working together, others need their own space and find their companions far too distracting/annoying!
Declutter
Clutter = mess = stress. This whole Covid-19 situation is very unsettling so it’s important that we create an environment where we feel safe and that we enjoy being in. Keeping your designated work space clutter free will enable you to focus more on your work, getting tasks completed much quicker.
Add structure to your day
Spend the first 15 minutes of your day planning. It’s good for your mental wellbeing to compartmentalise tasks and add variety throughout the day – work, play, learn, exercise, relax, eat, socialise, sleep etc. Activity is the route of self-esteem and the sense of achievement from ticking off our to-do list keeps our brain happy and positive.
If you’re trying to juggle childcare, school work, house work as well as work-work go easy on yourself and your children – it’s hard adapting to this new way of life.
Think ‘progress not perfection’ – a lot can be achieved with baby steps each day rather than huge leaps – it’s much better than forcing a strict full timetable and then getting disheartened when it’s not achieved. We need to be kind to ourselves and each other, be flexible, do what we can and keep going.
If you are on your own and find yourself with no work then take this opportunity and additional time to educate yourself and brush up on your skills – there are a plethora of online resources in every subject conceivable. You may also find you now have time to tackle all those home improvement tasks!
Look after yourself
As well as scheduling in tasks that need to be done, also ensure you prioritise time for self-care.
- Don’t forget to drink water – as we are not following our usual work routine we may be skipping our usual water quota (and replacing it with too much coffee!)
- Schedule in calls with friends and loved ones – it’s important to stay connected both for you and for them
- Schedule in some time for exercise – moving is so important for our wellbeing- both physical and mental
- Schedule some alone time if that’s what you need. Maybe now is the perfect time to add meditation to your daily schedule if this isn’t something you already do.
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