Here at Presented, we are a team of 12 and we all work from home. We did this EVEN before the recent pandemic. So we had a brainstorm to come up with work from home focus tips that we’ve found useful for us.
Separate your work space from your living space
Have a clearly defined work area, even if it is not a desk but a spot at the kitchen table – “this is where I work”. Keep this space uncluttered while you are working.
Get dressed
Outside of the office environment there is no need to dress formally, but getting dressed at the start of the day signals you are ready to get going. We recommend no pyjamas, sorry.
Be comfortable
A good set up when you work from home is definitely important! Invest in a comfortable chair… sitting on the sofa with your laptop on your knee is only comfortable for a short amount of time. Make sure that when you are seated you are in a good position with the monitor in a straight line with your eyes, get a monitor stand if you need to. Natural light is much better than artificial light so set up your workspace somewhere with plenty of natural light. Oh and stay hydrated people.
Remember to take breaks
It’s easy to get so engrossed in what you are doing that you forget to take breaks, just because you are at home doesn’t mean you don’t need to stretch your legs or give your eyes a screen break. Use a timer like “pomodoro” to help remind you to move.
Get outside
Cabin fever can be a problem for the work-at-homers, so, get outside and get some exercise at least once a day. Even taking a quick walk around the block or changing into different clothes at the end of the day will help create a psychological shift between work and life.
Communicate
Being at home means no watercooler chats and so it can feel quite isolated. Make sure you have regular chats with your co-workers! We also have a buddy system to remind us to check in with each other beyond the usual work friendships too.
Be strict with your time
Schedule your time: use a planner for your work with deadlines so you can see when you need to get things done. Find ways of speeding up your workflow, check out this blog post on the Quick Access Toolbar. Avoid working longer hours than necessary. It can be tempting with your computer right there to carry on working, so be strict with yourself on this, say goodbye to your co-workers and sign off.
Enjoy!
Remember, you get to choose the music and can eat smelly food whenever you like without upsetting others. It’s the little things!
Here are some of the other top tips our team came up to stay sane during social distancing:
