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For some, working from home is just another normal day. But for many, this environment is new territory. Either way, it is important for everyone to familiarize themselves with ways to make remote working both a positive and productive experience. We’ve put together our favorite tips to help you combat the potential challenges and start working from home effectively.

What Challenges Might We Face?

  • Isolation
  • Technology issues
  • Limited access to people and resources
  • Communication problems
  • Distraction from family/friends
  • Mental and physical health

What Can We Do To Minimize These?

Organization is key

Following a daily routine is not only integral to driving success but helping mental health too. It may be tempting to press the snooze button while working from home, but getting up to shower, dress, eat, and even get outside before hitting the desk can help improve your state of mind.

Not only that but sticking to your set hours will enable you to implement structure into your day, so you can separate work from play. Make sure you start and end your day at the same time as you would in the workplace.

On top of this, it is important to stay focused on prioritizing tasks. Begin by writing a list of all the jobs you must complete and ask yourself ‘what needs doing first?’. This will enable you to:

  • Plan for the week ahead, and then create a prioritized daily task list with deadlines.
  • Proactively seek to understand the big picture and what is considered most important in order to effectively prioritize.

We recommend building in personal rewards to help motivate yourself. Perhaps this could be as simple as stopping to make a hot drink or watching a YouTube video.

Set up a suitable workspace

Resist the urge to work in bed by designating a space for your home office. Make sure it feels separate to the rest of your house, to help trick yourself into thinking you are ‘at work’. This will ensure your productivity levels do not suffer from distractions in the home. If you’re afraid of disruption from family or housemates, set boundaries – let them know when you need space to work or, if necessary, place a lock on your door.

Try to make your home office as comfortable as possible. Ensure you have a chair that supports your back and keep the space tidy, just as you would in the workplace. Take regular breaks to stretch your legs and relax any strain on your eyes.

Stay in touch with colleagues

It is important to break up any social isolation you may feel with regular communication. This applies both in and out of work. If you need help, reach out to the same people you would if you were in the office. You can do this through instant messaging or email, but we recommend taking the time to video chat as well. A face-to-face conversation can seem much more stimulating, helping to ease the feeling of being alone.

Manage your distractions

Finding yourself constantly checking your phone? Logged onto social media on your work computer? Help yourself by limiting the time spent scrolling. Perhaps you could use a productivity app or, if possible, place your phone away from your desk (assuming you do not need it for work purposes). While we all want to stay connected during isolation, it is important to set limits, especially when it can have a negative impact on your productivity.

We would love to hear your top tips for working from home effectively. Please feel free to comment below!