How do you find working remotely? It’s a way of life for many people but – especially at the moment – for some it’s totally new and can take a bit of adjusting to.
I thought it was timely to share these tips from an internal comms piece we created for a client, developed to encourage lateral thinking about where a desk needed to be – and to help improve work/life balance.
1. Look after yourself
Most important of all – remember the life part of the work / life balance. Make a concerted effort to get some fresh air and daylight, even if that’s something you don’t manage when you’re in the office. Be kind to yourself. Don’t feel guilty if you take a break to do personal stuff – it’s good for your mental health and overall well-being to have time out during the working day.
2. Schedule a call
Make the most of your scheduling software (Outlook etc) and book calls with your colleagues. Naturally there will be plenty of ad hoc contact, but scheduling an ‘appointment’ focuses conversation and ensures you have regular human contact during the workday, not just e-contact.
3. Explore the wonders of the intranet
Whatever your internal comms platform is, hop onto it every now and again to keep up to date with general company news – you never know what nuggets you might find. Maybe take the chance to skill up – those online courses you’ve been putting off are easier to concentrate on when you’re in a quieter environment.
4. Set up a proper workspace
Set up a tidy, comfortable area to work from – it will help you focus and keep the work part of the day defined, to stop it eating into your personal time. And that area can change through the day – perhaps try a coffee shop, hotel or your local library.
5. Keeping in touch
Find out how your manager prefers to hear from you and let them know how you’re doing from both a business and personal perspective. If working from home is proving a challenge, ask for their advice about how to make it work for you.
6. Set boundaries
Partners, friends, pets and kids can be excited to have you around – wonderfully demonstrated here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mh4f9AYRCZY . Whilst they can be lovely distractions, do try and let them know when you need to focus on work. On the plus side, you can be distracted by them as soon as your working day is over, as you won’t have that pesky commuting time!
7. Be social
Calls to colleagues don’t need to be 100% focused on work. Check in and see how they are finding the remote working situation, and swap tips if you’ve found the perfect way to work from home. And, if practical, you could arrange to meet for an hour or two locally to give yourselves a chance to catch up from a different space.
Good luck! My own personal tips – 15 mins a day on household tasks (like washing) gives you more free time to enjoy at the weekend. And get dressed – tempting as it is to work in your pyjamas!
What working from home tips would you like to share?
