How to thrive when working from home

After being almost completely in isolation now for 2 months there are several things I've learnt about working effectively from home. I am hopeful that sharing a few hints and tips will prove useful to the many of us still adapting to this new work dynamic.

When it comes to optimising this key area of your life, I specifically would like to talk about two things; Routines and Hacks.

Routines

Some people’s routines will have been completely turned upside down! We are creatures of habit, and having a solid routine is essential for being productive. At the very core of a good daily routine, is starting the day well.

“Morning is an important time of day, because how you spend your morning can often determine what kind of day you are going to have”.

The question is, how do you determine what your morning routine should be? My first introduction into this area was reading Hal Elrod’s book ‘The Miracle Morning’. In his book, Hal outlines the 6 universal things which help give us a great start to the day;

1. Silence (Meditation / Reflection)
2. Affirmations
3. Visualisation
4. Exercise
5. Reading
6. Writing / Journalling

Now you might be thinking “Errrrm there’s absolutely no way I will have time to do all of that”!!

Well, that’s understandable - Pick and choose, and crucially, experiment. You could spend just 5 minutes on each one — half an hour is not a huge time commitment for the results it provides. Alternatively, you may want to exercise for 20 minutes, and meditate for 10.

Personally, I do some light exercise such as Yoga, then meditation and finish with a bit of journalling.

Putting a solid morning routine in place is a great start, but what about the rest of your day? Well, you should treat every working day at home the same as you would if you were in the office. This means outlining a work schedule. This could be as simple as:

8:00 — 9:00; Morning routine & breakfast

9:00 — 12:00; Work

12:00 — 13:00; Lunch

13:00 — 1500; Work

15:00 — 16:00; Afternoon workout

16:00 — 18:00; Work

18:00 Onwards; Dinner and chill for the evening

I find using a blank weekly timetable the most effective, as it allows for optimisation through reflecting. Outline a schedule you think will work then review it after sticking to it for a few weeks.

You may find that you have some extra time on your hands given the decrease of travel and physical meetings. Clarifying what you want to do with this extra time is vital, otherwise you will start to procrastinate. Ask yourself;

What can I do to optimise this?

Do I have any spare time? If so, where could I spend this extra time?

What other areas of my life would I like to improve?

The extra time you have could present a great opportunity to pick up a new skill you’ve had on the back-burner.

Hacks

Let’s face it, working from home does have some great perks. Some of these ‘perks’ however, can zap your productivity. I think we could all agree it is much easier to get distracted and less motivated if you start working in your pyjamas, and have your phone on the table next to you…

Therefore, effectively working from home is all about setting the right environment.

One of the key reasons workplaces are productive is because we associate them with being so - Minimal distractions, well-lit etc…

So with that being said, here are my universal hacks that you can implement:

1. Create a clear distinction between work and play — Got a spare room? Great! Turn this into an office. If you don’t then be sure to set your dining room table up in a way that allows you to distinguish between work and meal times.
2. Control your distractions and use them as treats — Personal phones, email accounts and other notifications should be switched off and turned onto do not disturb during the work hours that you allocate.
3. Get some fresh air — The majority of the world is now entering the glorious season on Spring. Get outside and soak up some sun for 10 minutes. If you are on a really strict lockdown and can’t leave home — then crack a window and do some stretching.
4. Stay connected (While keeping your distance) — My home office overlooks a road, this is great because I see people driving, walking and jogging past. If I feel like a break I simply crack a window and watch the world go by. Get creative here — you are going to have to be more proactive to satisfy your needs for human connection.
5. It is vital, particularly for extroverts to maintain connections with people. Give your cousin a call, chat with your friends on Zoom, or play a board-game with your household.
6. Upskill — In this lockdown, you might have more spare time than you have done since you were a child, and indeed, more than you will ever have for the rest of your life. This represents a great opportunity to learn some new things. The internet provides us with some fantastic resources for upskilling. Who knows, you may come out of this period being the most employable, best version of yourself yet!

Working and living in isolation is tough. However, with the right approach there is an opportunity to come out of this period personally and professionally stronger. Stay safe, above all if you are fit and well it is an opportunity to practice gratitude, and do our part to collectively help humanity get through the challenging times that lie ahead.

Thanks for reading! What are your thoughts on this?

It would be great to get your feedback on what you have learnt about working from home.