How to Work from Home Effectively

The pandemic has plunged everyone across the world into a new way of living and working. Working from home has become the norm, and while people enjoy the benefits like flexibility and the ability to spend more time with family, it comes with its challenges.

One of the largest challenges people are facing is managing their workload or overworking. It’s almost too easy to skip lunch, not take breaks or work late into the evening, but with that comes issues of unproductivity and the risk of burning out. Overworking can lead to a host of health and wellbeing issues from increased stress to feeling anxious and lonely. However, there are ways to combat these challenges. For example, planning out tasks for the day like you might in the office could help manage your workload as well as improve productivity. If you find yourself not taking breaks, set reminders in your calendar to go out for a walk or get a drink. Similarly, turn off your computer when taking lunch or at the end of the day to avoid the urge to reply to “just one more email”. Another way to protect your work/life balance while working from home is to create a physical boundary between you and your workspace when the workday ends. That could be shutting the door or, if you don’t have a separate room, putting your laptop out of sight. Doing this will help to separate work-life from home-life, increase productivity at work, and protect your mental health. 

People also struggle with feeling connected to their team when working remotely. Using technology to stay connected is a brilliant way to keep in touch with your colleagues and alleviate any loneliness you could be feeling. Pick up the phone, video call your team - doing this will help you collaborate like you might in the office but will also help everyone feel a little bit more connected. Use the best tools (phone and videos calls) to collaborate with your colleagues, keep human relationships and maintain a team spirit which is essential in a work environment.

To summarise, our top tips for working from home well are:

• Plan and structure your day / build a routine
• Take breaks whether that be getting a coffee or going for a brief walk
• Turn off your computer at lunch and when the workday is over / separate your work and your private space as much as you can
• Find a way to create a physical barrier between work and home life 
• Use technology to stay connected 

Whether your biggest challenge is the dog barking in the background of your Zoom meeting or feeling isolated, it is important to find a way to strike the right work/life balance to protect your mental health and enjoy all the benefits of working from home.