There are definitely perks to this new set up (a lie in every day – yes please!) but this new way of working can get overwhelming. With no colleagues or bosses around to motivate you, how does anything get done? Especially when you’re so used to home being just home. We spoke to Louise from Style Me Curvy, an influencer with many years of WFH experience, for her tips on how to stay productive and not get back into bed.
Working from home has been my norm for nearly ten years. It was something of a trial and error situation for a while until I found a system that worked for me. At the moment a lot of my friends who are used to working in an office environment are finding the transition tough. Working from home isn’t for everyone especially with the current crisis adding to stress levels too. Here are some of my go to tips for working effectively at home.
GET DRESSED
At the start it’s so easy to stay in your pjs but getting dressed will give you more structure. It doesn’t matter what you wear, loungewear, jeans, a comfy dress, you just need to separate yourself from what you would typically wear at bedtime.
DECIDE ON AN AT HOME WORKSPACE
Working from home can sound wonderful to daily commuters but after a few days it can get on top of you. Creating a workspace somewhere in your home will give a sense of structure and help with concentration too. Picking your new workspace doesn’t have to be glamorous. You don’t even need to have a desk for this. It can be a comfy couch or a kitchen table. Ultimately, it’s about making an area work for you to get things done effectively and efficiently at this time.
TIMINGS
This varies depending on your job but set your ‘at home’ hours as if you were in an office and log off at a certain time every day. It can be easy to lose track of time working from home. If you start working late at night and checking emails at 11pm you’ll struggle to switch off. Switching off mentally is SO important in order to work effectively and not allowing work to consume you.
PLANNING AHEAD VS LISTS
I see lots of recommendations for lists but when working from home you never know what the day might throw at you or what might become a distraction. My lists are broken up into essentials that need to be done followed by other tasks I would ideally like to complete that day but if it doesn’t happen, I won’t beat myself up over it. Why? Because I’ve planned all my deadlines in advance to ensure there’s movement within that timeframe for a “bad day”. Some days are going to be more productive than others.
TAKING BREAKS
Everyone works differently when it comes to what kind of breaks suit you. For me, I listen to my body when I know my focus isn’t there at that moment. Take regular breaks when you can, walk around the house or the back garden for a few minutes, drink some water then get back to what you were doing with a slightly fresher view.
