Work from home effectively

Throughout the pandemic working from home as become the ‘new normal’. Employers are now making the decision of whether to open the office again or to continue to work from home. It can be difficult to find a work-life balance but there are a few things that you can do to help you work from home effectively. We have put together a list of tips that the Peel team have discovered through our own experience of working from home.
 

Make yourself a workspace

Having a dedicated workspace set up will help you to define the difference between work time and home time. It is very easy to grab your laptop in bed, but this is your relaxing space and research has shown that you should separate the two. Working in the bedroom can damage your relationship with sleep. Set up one workspace for continuity. It will help you to focus better. It will also help you to keep organised as everything you need will be stored in the same place.
 

Stay away from distractions

Stop all distractions before they happen. It is easy enough to perch yourself on the couch in front of the TV, but how productive will you be? Eliminate all distractions to avoid it becoming a habit. Allow yourself the concentration you would have in the workplace. A handy tip is to mute all notifications from social media so you are not tempted to spend unnecessary time on social networks.
 

Make to do lists

Set yourself a clear list of what needs to be done and mark off clearly what you have completed. This process allows you to feel accomplished and in turn be more productive as you can see your progress. Trello is a fantastic free online tool to make digital lists, or a good old pen and paper works just as well if you would prefer.
 

Structure your day

It is important to Structure your day when working from home. Set yourself a start and end time. You need to set a clear line between your home life and work life. When you bring work home with you it can influence your personal life in a negative way, if you do not set clear boundaries. Ensure to maintain your regular working hours. It can be tempting to stay later as you haven’t got the journey home, cut yourself some slack.
 

Use technology to stay connected to your colleagues.

It’s easy to feel disconnected from your colleagues when working from home. Make the effort to keep in touch. Schedule regular Zoom/Skype sessions. Staying in contact allows you to keep updated with what’s happening in all areas of the workplace and also gives you time to discuss your work and maintain those important relationships.
 

Set boundaries with anyone you share a house with

People who live with you may not understand that working from home does not mean that you don’t have to get the work done. You still have deadlines and work must still get done. Make sure you have conversations about this beforehand. You also don’t want the dreaded sky news incident of children walking in whilst you’re on that important zoom call. Although people are much more understanding with the current situation, make sure your childcare is covered as you would if you were going out to work.
 

Get up and Move

Working from home means you are moving less than you would normally. Even if the only walking you did was from your car to the office, now it is eliminated. Make time to get up and walk around, possibly take a walk in the garden if you have one, or a walk to the park on your break.
 

Be sure to take a break!

Take your breaks. It can be easy to skip breaks when working from home, but we wouldn’t recommend it. A break is a time for you to grab some lunch away from your workstation and re gather your thoughts. You can then go back to your work with more energy and a fresh mind. This should be utilised at home too. Even if you just go into a different room, or take a walk around the garden. Staring at a screen for 8 hours straight is not good for anyone. You will feel more productive after a break.
 
The most important tip that we can give you is to be mindful of your mental health. If you’re feeling low or not yourself be sure to visit the NHS website to check your symptoms and see what help you can get/what NHS Suggests.
 
Peel Solutions are industry leaders in specialist recruitment and training solutions for the law enforcement, health & social care, Law, Cyber & IT sectors. We are also proud to operate a private sector business service covering all aspects of your recruitment hires. For more information on our staffing solutions or how we can help you find your next career move, call us on 01925 377 878