So you're working from home! Here are some thoughts to get you comfortable with this new way of working.

So you have found yourself having to work from home as your business proactively implements social distancing in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Firstly - it's great news that you are in this situation from a disease control perspective. If you're interesting in understanding the hugely positive impact this will have on controlling COVID-19, read this article: https://medium.com/@Jason_Scott_Warner/the-sober-math-everyone-must-understand-about-the-pandemic-2b0145881993 and then read this article: https://medium.com/@tomaspueyo/coronavirus-act-today-or-people-will-die-f4d3d9cd99ca

They are long...but it is worth every minute of your time as it will motivate you to undertstand that you working from home will have a significant impact.

I've been working from home for several years now, so here are some things I have learnt as a result.

1. Where possible, create a dedicated space to work from. Don't sit at the dining room table! This can be hard if you have limited space - but we may be at this for a while so you need to look after yourself - specifically your posture. Even if is it in the corner of a room, create your space. Where possible, it should enable you to work without interuption, especially if family members are also going to be at home with you.

2. Pay more attention to your schedule. Being at home can be a distraction - there are always so many other things that need to be done - and you're home, so why not quickly put the washing on, or weed the garden! Use your calendar to schedule activities. The psychology behind this is you are contracting with yourself so are more likely to do what you say you are going to do. This is even more impactful if others can see your schedule. If you have a shared calendar, use it.

3. You're going to need to socialise despite working on your own. There is loads of tech out there to support this. Microsoft Teams, Google Gsuite, Zoom, Skype, or even something like VirBELA*. You may need your business to enable you to install these tools - so your IT team is going to have to be more flexible than ever! Get those conversations going now as being able to interact with your colleagues is very important.

I use Office 365 so have access to Teams, but I also schedule meetings and client work using Zoom.

*Sidenote of VirBELA. If you are not aware of this capability, do go and take a look. I was only recently made aware of whena conference I am due to present at in Boston was made virtual rather than physical. This is the platform we are using. It's incredible - and will really help with the socialising aspect that we will miss out on by not being there in person.

4. Establish a routine. I'll admit to occassionally finding myself still in my pyjamas at 11am having woken up, got into something that I had been thinking about overnight, and failed to get myself properly ready for the day. It's OK once in a while to do that, but if it becomes habit, getting back into a daily work routine is going to be difficult!

Routine means that our mindset is appropriate for the work we need to do. It also means that we give ourselves breaks. You don't work everyminute of every day when you are in the workplace; you get up for a drink, you chat with colleagues, you may head out for lunch. These things are important to do when you work from home.

5. Get creative! You can now focus on being outcome orientated. That's an amazing thing to do with your time. You will probably find that the number of meetings you are asked to attend drops significantly. The important stuff will continue, but those questionable meetings could all but disappear.

If you have your tech sorted, there's no reason not to be on a walk when your team meeting is taking place. I have often been out with my dog, stood on the edge of a river, having a very productive meeting with the team. That flexibility helps with

6. Enjoy yourself! Working from home can be hugely liberating. Once you get into the swing of things, you will find that you are more productive and have time for other value add activities such as considering your own wellness or doing some personal learning.

It has been said that starvation is the fuel of innovation, so may well worth considering that your businesses operating model may well change permanently, even after we are through the current viral threat - so use this time to set yourself up for success. Be proactive in suggesting new ways of working to your colleagues and establish a culture which can thrive from home.

This is not a definitive list by any means - just some things I have done to ensure I can operate with efficiency and effectiveness for my own business. If you have any more suggestions, please do share.

Enjoy!