Working from home tips for productivity and wellbeing

With the homeworking trend set to continue, it’s more important than ever before to stay productive and manage your wellbeing effectively. To help you achieve this, we have prepared some top-tips for feeling good and excelling at work, while working from home.

CREATE AN EFFECTIVE WORKSPACE

As comforting as working from your bed or favourite spot on the sofa sounds, selecting a space specifically for work will increase your productivity. If possible, choose a separate room with a good source of natural light, which can become your dedicated home office. Using different spaces in your home, like this, can help to create a physical distinction between working and relaxing, making the boundaries between home-life and work-life much clearer. If this option isn’t available to you, opt for a space in your home which is furthest from household noise and distractions.

SET YOUR DESK UP CORRECTLY AND MAINTAIN GOOD POSTURE

For employees who spend several hours each day at their desks, looking into the ergonomic factors relating to your desk set-up is a must. Making small enhancements to workstations can have a wealth of benefits, from reducing the likelihood of lower back pain and tension headaches, through to increasing energy levels and boosting confidence. Try to follow these steps from the NHS for setting up your desk to improve comfort, posture and productivity whilst working from home.

TRY TO LIMIT DISTRACTIONS AT HOME

While there are many benefits to working from home, it can introduce a number of new distractions to contend with. It might become tempting to start household chores during work time or to turn on the TV whilst at home. To overcome these potential distractions, try to allocate a certain time for completing housework and ensure that your workspace is clean and tidy, ahead of the working day. Instead of turning on the TV, try listening to music instead. Research from Harvard Medical School explains how listening to certain types of music at different times can boost your mood, reduce stress levels and enhance cognitive performance. Not only will you overcome a distraction, but you will discover a solution that boosts productivity instead!

DON’T BE CONSUMED BY SOCIAL MEDIA

As more time is spent on devices, one of the most popular sources of distraction comes from an increase in social media use, which can become addictive without the usual boundaries that limit access in an office environment. If you’re losing too much time to social media, our team suggests logging out of your accounts during working hours or turning off notifications, especially on mobile devices. In addition, removing social media links from your desktop browser can help to reduce temptation and encourage you to make a more conscious decision about when you would like to browse and publish updates there.

SET HEALTHY BOUNDARIES WITH YOUR HOUSEHOLD

It’s easy for family members, friends and flatmates to forget that while you’re at home, you’re also working. To maintain healthy relationships and minimise disruption, have a conversation with your household in advance so that they are aware of your working hours and appreciate the type of environment that will support your arrangement. If it isn’t possible to follow your usual pattern, depending on individual circumstances, modifying your working hours and responsibilities might be an option. Discuss this with your line manager in the first instance and communicate any changes to your colleagues and professional network, where required. If your hours do change, we would also recommend updating your diary to manage expectations and help you to maintain the boundaries between your work-life and home-life.

START THE DAY OFF RIGHT BY GETTING READY FOR WORK

Whilst there is no pressure to ‘get ready’ when you’re working from home (unless you have video calls scheduled), it’s a good idea to change out of your pyjamas and maintain usual levels of grooming and hygiene. In the same way that setting aside a space for work helps to establish boundaries, getting ready in the morning will help you to adopt a professional mindset, while signalling that your working day is due to begin.