Working From Home 101

I, as well as millions of you have been working from home now for weeks and I know it has been challenging for some.

I personally enjoy working from home as I have had a previous role which meant I worked from home 2 days a week in Edinburgh and spend the remaining days in London. I have been sharing some tips with friends so thought I'd share them here.

1. Plan Your Day: simple as it may sound, it's good to have a list of what you aim to accomplish for the day and either make a mental note of the timeline or write it down too and let this be your diary for the day. This ensures productivity and good work/life balance.
2. Still Sleeping?: By this, I mean start early and finish early. Of course, this is dependent on the arrangements you have with your employer. I personally start around 7am and I do some of my best tasks at this time before others turn on their computer.
3. Let's Jam: I find background music soothing so you can connect yourself to your headphones or home sound system at a volume just enough to create the atmosphere you like.
4. 2 Litres: Don't forget to drink and stay hydrated. Tip, always have a bottle of water by your side and keep gulping. Also plan your lunch as you would have if you were going into the office or you will end up eating junk.
5. Big spender: Consider spending some cash to make your WFH more comfortable. It could be a bigger screen, mouse mat, feet stool etc. You want to make it a positive experience after all.
6. Go Wander: You need that break from your screen. I live in a village so I enjoy going for my walks/cycle to get some fresh air and for exercise. Do not mix this up with working out at home, you still need that fresh air.
7. This meeting is over: What I am referring to here is that you need to be disciplined to know when to stop working or you could end up popping in and out of your computer till 11pm. I usually set up my workplace in the morning and then clear it down at the end of the day so I physically, visually & mentally stop working.