Tips for working from home
posted 09 Feb 23
Working from home can offer many great benefits, including no commute, freedom to make the office your own, and more time to do the things you love.
Going from a busy office environment to remote working can take a little getting used to. But, with more than 1.5 million people with work-from-home jobs in 2019, it is becoming an increasingly popular option. With more people transitioning to working from home, we share our tips for remote working.
Advice for remote working
Establish a routine
As mentioned, moving from an office environment to the comforts of your own home can take some getting used to. However, sticking to a routine can do wonders to help you adapt to remote work.
Waking up and getting dressed at the same time as usual will set you off on the right path for a productive day. Following the same schedule as you would in the office will enable you to become more disciplined with how you spend your time. Furthermore, sticking to your working hours will allow you to “switch off” and give yourself some deserved downtime.
Create daily to-do lists
Just as you would in the office, outline your to-do list for the day. When motivation to work from home begins to slip, your to-do list will remind you to stay on track. If you work as part of a team, it may be good to ensure your team has sight of your to-do lists and that you can see theirs. That way, you can keep up with where everyone is up to.
For online to-do lists, we recommend using productivity tools such as Trello or Todoist.
Improve communication
Whilst you may not be physically be with your colleagues to have catch up over break, there are certainly ways to improvise. When you work from home, it is important to take advantage of every form of online communication, whether that's video calls, messaging or voice calls.
- Our working from home tips for communicating:
- Schedule daily 30-minute catch up calls with your colleagues to go over the to-do lists for the day.
- Set up a group work chat with your colleagues.
- Video call for project meetings and weekly run-downs.
Keeping regular contact with your team and varying the communication types will help you feel more connected with your colleagues.
Establish your most productive working hours
Remote working can offer many great benefits. Nevertheless, for those not used to working from home or with younger children, staying on task can be challenging. To help with this, we recommend working out when your most productive hours of the day are to help you schedule your high energy and low energy tasks.
By using tools such as Rescue Time to track how you spend your time, you will be able to work more efficiently.
Switch up your workspace
Since you don’t have the buzz of your colleagues in the background to help keep your work environment stimulating, it is a good idea to ensure your home office is.
Check you have plenty of natural light. Studies say that having your desk facing the window allows workers to be 2% more productive. You should also ensure your desk is away from any distractions and keep your workspace tidy as clutter will negatively affect your focus.
Staying in the same place can get boring, so switch things up. Try moving the position of your desk, alternate rooms, or keep things interesting by adding new decorations to your home office.
Set clear boundaries
When working from home, the lines between work and home can become easily blurred. To prevent this, set clear boundaries for people living in your home and for family and friends who may want to contact you - make them aware of your working hours so that you are not disturbed during this period.
Plan your meals in advance
When working from home, lunch times can go one of two ways: endless eating, or no eating at all. Planning your meals in advance will ensure you think more carefully about lunch times and be more productive when working remotely. If this means packing your lunch in plastic containers like you would for the office, then so be it.
After experiencing an initial spike in energy, sugary snacks can often leave you feeling sluggish and unproductive. Therefore, you should also consider what type of food you are consuming.
How can we help you find your next job?
Whether you’re looking for remote working or open to working in various environments, we work with some of the UK’s largest employers to present a wide range of opportunities. Browse jobs or contact our team today!
Sources
Candidates
Looking for a job with great prospects?
Full or part time, temporary or permanent, office based or remote, we can help you find it with a top UK brand.
