Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, a lot of businesses have arranged for their employees to work from home where possible. It can be tricky to get into the swing of this new reality, and it is more important than ever to keep yourself as mentally and physically healthy as possible. We’ve compiled some top tips that we’re encouraging everyone at Brastop HQ to follow, and hope these help you find a perfect work-life balance too:
Get dressed It might sound silly, but just getting changed out of your pyjamas can lift your productivity levels and put you in the right frame of mind for getting through your work – ‘dress for success’ isn’t just for in the office! So, freshen up with a shower, put on your comfiest undies and some clean clothes (they can still be comfy!) and get your body and mind ready for a day of work.
Make an ‘office space’ It can be super tempting to work from your bed or sofa but setting up a separate ‘workstation’ is not only beneficial for your productivity, but it helps retain a healthy work-life balance. Keep your bedroom for sleeping and relaxing, and set up a make-shift office either in a spare room, at your dining table, or even at the coffee table in a pinch. If possible, choose somewhere with a window for fresh air and natural light, and a closing door for privacy.
Keep a routine It might seem like a good idea to catch some extra zzz’s in the time you’d normally be travelling to work but aim to keep your routine as normal as possible. Use the time you’d spend commuting to do something for you – listen to a podcast, read a chapter of a book, dance in your pants, do a workout, or go for a walk around the block to get some fresh air. Make sure you stick to routine working hours and don’t feel like you need to put in extra time unless it’s necessary – and don’t forget to take your breaks!
Check in with your team Keep in contact with your colleagues – set up group chats and video calls. Catch up on a regular basis to not only keep up with what everyone’s up to work-wise and discuss projects, but to keep each other motivated and lift spirits! Its nice to see a friendly face and have a natter like you would in the break room.
Minimise distractions When you’re in the office there’ll always be noise – whether it’s your colleagues talking, phones ringing or people typing away – so working from home where it can be super quiet might feel strange. Try putting on the radio for some background noise, or the TV on a low volume. Make sure you don’t get sucked into whatever’s on though, as you don’t want to spend your time binge watching Netflix when you should be working!
Sign off If you’re using your personal devices to work from home, sign out of any work software and turn off notifications at the end of your working hours. This will mean you’re not tempted to check in, again keeping that all-important work-life balance. This counts for your lunch break, too, and will increase your performance and productivity by making sure you don’t burn out.
Do you have any other top tips for #WFH? Let us know in the comments or on social!
Stay safe,
LJ x
