15 tips for working from home

For some, working from home comes easy, but for others it can be challenging. If you’re having trouble staying focused when working at home, here are some tips to help you adapt to your new working environment!

1. If possible, set up a space in your home dedicated exclusively to working, so that you can ‘leave work’ and disconnect at the end of the day. If you have children at home, explain to them that this space is reserved for you. Make sure your home working space has a comfortable chair and sufficient lighting. If you can work close to a window to enjoy some natural light, this is ideal.
2. Prepare your work snacks the night before and bring them into your working area when you start your workday. This will help you avoid making several trips to the fridge during the day.
3. Before starting your workday, take time to wake up and get ready, as you would if you were going to the office. Eat breakfast, drink a glass of water, do some exercise (walking , stretching, yoga, sit-ups … intensity is not the priority), shower and get dressed.
4. Establish a work schedule and stick to it. This will allow you to really ‘log out’ at the end of the day and establish boundaries with your loved ones.
5. Make a music playlist. If you are used to working in an open office with lots of co-workers, the silence of working at home may quickly seem deafening. Make a playlist that suits your tastes, while allowing you the level of concentration necessary to complete your tasks.
6. Determine your productivity periods. Some people are most productive in the morning; others work better in the afternoon. Reserve your preferred slot for concentrated work periods and allocate the rest of the day for less-demanding tasks and answering emails.
7. Get organized. Making lists of the tasks that you need to get done during the day or week will give you a clearer vision of what’s on your plate. If you stumble on a task, you can set it aside and choose a less difficult task from your list to work on.
8. Hydrate regularly. If you usually keep a bottle or glass of water at your desk when you’re in the office, keep using it so you always have something to drink in your home working area.
9. Take breaks to go for walks or just to relax for 5-10 minutes per hour. At the office we have a lot of interactions: we get up, we chat with colleagues, we go get a coffee. Taking regular breaks helps you be more effective during concentrated work periods.
10. Take a real lunch break, as you would at the office.
11. Stay focused. Taking regular breaks is a good start, but also consider muting your social media notifications during your workday.
12. Stay in touch with your managers and colleagues. When you work at home, it’s easy to isolate yourself, and not in a good way. Chat with your colleagues by phone or with IM tools like Microsoft Teams.
13. Try to manage your stress levels during your concentrated work periods. Do not feel compelled to respond immediately to your colleagues when they send a chat request or email.
14. If you have team meetings, try to conduct them using video. Many things can be misinterpreted through nonverbal or nonvisual communication. Although virtual meetings can sometimes cause some tension at the start, especially when several people are trying to make a point at the same time, if you limit yourself only to telephone meetings, the tone can rise quickly to an unpleasant one.
15. If your children are at home, it is important to schedule and organize their days as you do yours. Prepare a schedule with them that will alternate between work hours and calm hours dedicated to, for example, reading and play time.

Good luck and stay safe!

Visit Jobboom by clicking here to view all available job offers.