WHEN THE KITCHEN BECOMES THE OFFICE

You may have relished the thought. No long commutes, a chance to get more done without distractions. Till a few days in and reality hits. You can work more flexibly giving you time to fit in other things, like a morning workout, online shopping, spend time with kids while they’re at home. But journalist Diane Cook says there are also drawbacks to be overcome. “You never switch off and you don’t have the interaction with colleagues, it can be quite lonely. And you’re fair game for people phoning for a chat.” A study by University of Central London (UCL) says remote working requires high levels of time management and self discipline and is not always experienced as a lifestyle of autonomy and freedom. They often overlook the role of discipline when first starting out, and don’t foresee how managing work life balance can become problematic. Researcher Dave Cook said: “People need to have a long hard think about what kind of person they are, what their working style is really like, and to develop the right working strategy accordingly. Think about whether you are someone that needs external structures like deadlines or if you need to outsource some of your discipline to other people. Financial services worker Kim Cobham loves not having to commute but says family often can’t accept you’re working. “It’s very hard when they ask you to take them somewhere or pick them up. They don’t get that you have deadlines and need to concentrate.” And she misses having colleagues to share advice on big decisions. “It’s hard if you have a question, you can’t just turn to a colleague. So it’s a phone call to someone who may not be immediately available or waiting for a reply to an email which can be super frustrating.” That rush hour trek to work is already starting to look quite rose tinted... ucl.ac.uk People often overlook the role of discipline when first starting out. Working from home – it’s yet another new phenomenon that we’re having to get used to. A new phrase that rolls off our tongues as easily as ‘are you social distancing or self isolating’?

TIPS FOR REMOTE WORKING:

• Take time to get the right set up at home

Set clear boundaries about what spaces and times are for work. Be clear about these boundaries with online coworkers, friends or family

Think about how you will structure each day the evening before

Create an imaginary commute. It could be as simple as walking for 15 minutes in the morning before you start work. Or walking over an imaginary divide

Add rituals like going for a walk (keeping a safe distance) to avoid experiencing cabin fever

Communicate clearly when you are and when you’re not working

Block out two to three hours in the morning for focused work which is a popular approach used by experienced remote workers. It’s called MIT (Most Important Task) and it’s a promise to achieve your most important task/goal to yourself (and your team)

Beware Facebook. You might need to go on there for work (there are work related groups), however it’s designed for distraction, and it’s a time eater

Think of your laptop as a work device and your smartphone as a communication device

Avoid answering work emails out of hours, otherwise it becomes the norm

At the end of the working day do something that feels good – whether it’s making calls to loved ones, an activity or hobby or going for a walk if you can.