Many businesses are having to adjust the way they work – whether they’re navigating a team from home to reduce risks, self-isolating in the short term, or going through a phased return, more people than ever are having to work from home.  Working from home brings flexibility, a beneficial work-life balance, and reduced costs for business owners.  Whilst it can have some fantastic benefits – ditching those pinching shoes for comfy slippers, waving goodbye to the passive aggressive kitchen notes from Karen in Accounts, having your pet within snuggling distance, plus no more traffic or travel costs – it can be easy to fall into an unproductive pattern and risk job performance. These tips can help you to work efficiently, make simple changes to keep motivated and improve your outcomes as you work from home.

1.       Set up a Routine

Try to maintain your usual morning and bedtime routines and keep it consistent.  Get up, make breakfast, shower, and get dressed – just as if you are going into work.  There are routines that you can implement to encourage a calm frame of mind and make the transition from your home life to a productive workday.  Make the most of that repurposed commute time by taking the time to:

• Go for a walk
• Read
• Meditate
• Listen to music

Take your entire scheduled breaks just as you would at your usual place of business – ideally away from your workstation and certainly away from your screen.  Once your workday is over, turn off your computer, switch your work phone to voicemail and focus on your home life.  Make sure you go to bed at the usual time.  Whilst it is tempting to work at any time of the day, sticking to your usual working hours is a must if you want to optimise your productivity and job satisfaction.

2.       Goal Setting

Make yourself accountable by keeping to a schedule of daily and weekly achievements with specific goals in mind to check off as you achieve them.  This will help you to track your personal progress and ensure that you are meeting your expectations.  These targets need to be achievable and will keep you on the right road, which is essential when there is a change of environment that can affect your focus.

3.       Create a designated Workspace

Create a clear and defined workstation to ensure that your workspace is separate to your home life as much as can be.  Personalise it with plants, pictures, and lighting – things that help elevate your mood make you happy and ready to work each day.  Keep it clean, tidy, and distraction-free.  If something doesn’t feel right after a while, change it up – it’ll help.  Check the DSE workstation checklist to consider the health and safety requirements of your space.

4.       Step Away from the Socials

We tend to behave differently at home and a quick peek at social media could result in a hour or so of scrolling.  It’s easy to fool yourself into thinking that you’ll quickly check the news or Linkedin (because LinkedIn is a bit like working, right?), and before you know it, you’re behind on your workday.  Try to avoid Netflix or similar streaming – a quick pre-work episode can turn into a marathon.

5.       Reach Out to Others

Isolating can lead to a disconnect from your workforce.  If you have a team, it’s important to check in and support each other.  Share your to do list and see if you can help each other.  Use video conferencing or other business tools to communicate, attend meetings, courses, and webinars.  If you work alone, you can investigate networking opportunities and stay connected with people within your industry.  Remember that there are many people in the same boat as you and you might be able to boost yourself and others by staying in touch.  Socialise virtually – schedule in a coffee break get-together.

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The Bottom Line

Whilst you may not have planned to work from home, this virus has certainly shown how adaptable we can be and shown that we can make the most of a situation.  Have faith in your ability to adapt, and you could find that the change of circumstances can be an opportunity for personal or professional growth that can benefit you and your business in the future.

To learn how Busby Finance can help you during this time, please call us on 01604 271 977, email info@busbyfinance.co.uk or send us a message.