How To Successfully Work From Home During Lockdown
April 7, 2020
7th April 2020 by CH
Our lives have changed dramatically over the past few weeks. We’ve seen our homes become our new offices and our new commute involves little more than waking up and walking over to our laptops!
As the lockdown continues, we’re adjusting and making changes to our daily lives. The way we work is no different. Technology allows many of us to work remotely which of course presents its own challenges.
Read on and see what you can do to keep your work and life balance running smoothly!
Create A Comfortable Space
First things first, create a space for concentration. Think about the quietest area in your home to make an inviting area for yourself to work in.
We can easily find ourselves hunching over screens and sitting in unnatural and uncomfortable positions. This can quickly progress into tight muscles in our back, neck and shoulders causing headaches. Be comfortable, relaxed and upright!
If you don’t have an office chair, add a cushion for your back and think about your posture.
Think about natural light as well so you don’t strain your eyes.
Be Structured
Once you’re settled, create a daily routine that works. Set your alarm and wake up at the same time you would do if you had to commute, and maximise on those extra hours (or minutes!) by taking time for yourself.
Do some morning stretches, drink an extra cup of tea, ring your friend for a five minute chat or just look out the window and relax for a moment.
Stay In The Loop
There’s plenty of video platforms out there like Zoom that are making face to face contact easier.
We recently had a group singalong of ‘Happy Birthday’ for our Creative Lead Gary! It also involved piano and guitar playing which probably sounded awful but it was a fun way to bring us all together!
With teams split up and people located all over the place during lockdown, it’s vital both from a working perspective and from a sanity perspective that you stay in touch.
Team Building And Bonding
Video calling doesn’t just mean you discuss the crucial things. A group quiz and drinks over video chat is a really nice way for any team to round off a week!
Think outside the box and give your teams the chance to stay creative and engaged even while in lockdown.
Take Regular Breaks And Don’t Overdo It
One of the challenges of being at home all the time is finding it easy to get lost in a task and then realise you’ve not stood up for hours, and even missed a meal in the most extreme circumstance!
Stay mindful and give yourself the breaks you need. Set a time for lunch, step away from your computer and phone, and go in the garden for some sun.
It’s also a good idea to look out at things in the distance to flex those eye muscles!
Switch Off Properly And Relax
When the end of the day comes, be sure to switch off and leave the working day behind.
With lockdown comes fewer distractions and limits in terms of what you can do outside the house. But try not to use this as an excuse to keep going at the end of the day.
Working too much and pushing yourself can leave you struggling, especially with all the other stresses and difficulties lockdown presents.
Remember to take care of yourself and those you love.
We hope these tips have been useful! If you have any more that you’d like to share, drop us an email .
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