CORONAVIRUS: How to be productive if you have to work from home

Unfortunately, the coronavirus has now officially reached ‘pandemic’ status. On 16th March 2020, Boris Johnson confirmed that the UK Government was putting in new government measures as we approach the fast growth part of the upward curve. As part of these measures, it was recommended that employees should work from home if they can.

It is hoped that keeping employees further apart from each other, it will reduce the chance of group spread as well as the opportunity for the virus to be caught during a commute or in communal office spaces.

This advice has been provided on the basis that keeping employees further apart from each other, will reduce the chance of group spread as well as the opportunity for the virus to be caught during a commute or in communal office spaces. Unfortunately for some workers, this isn’t an option, but for those who might find themselves working from home, might be asking; what is the best way to maximise productivity whilst maintaining good physical and mental health?

Whilst I have worked from home on occasions this is an unprecedented scenario and I thought I would research advice on how to make the most of working from home.

Distinguish between work and home mode

Whilst clearly one of the biggest benefits of home working is convenience, it can also be the biggest challenge. You must not forget that you are there to work - so set yourself up the right way, get dressed and brush your teeth at the start of the day rather than sitting in your pyjamas for eight hours. Switch from home to work mode, by having something you physically do to flip the switch. This could also be making a cup of tea - which I am just starting to get into now.

There is also an argument that washing and getting dressed will not only improve your state of mind, but it will also psychologically prepare you to start work. It will also be useful if you need to dial into a video call.

Establish Boundaries

Be ready to start your day at the same time as you would normally arrive in your office or workplace, and finish your day at the same time. It is important for employees to stick to a routine while working from home, this includes going to bed at a reasonable hour so that you get enough sleep and then wake up at your usual time.

Once you do something over and over, it becomes a habit, so the first week may be challenging but eventually, it becomes part of your routine.

Work in short chunks

When working in the office your day is often broken up by meetings, lunch breaks toilet breaks and general office chat. When sat at home on your own, isolated with limited face-to-face interaction you can fall into a habit of working for long, unbroken periods.

In order to be productive structure is key! It is highly recommended to work in 45-60 minute chunks of focused work followed by a short break. This can be an effective way to break the day up and maintain your concentration levels.

Have a break

People are worried about being perceived to be slacking off whilst at home. Therefore employees are fearful to break away from their laptop in case they miss something. Just because you’re feeling comfy at home, it doesn’t mean you don’t need a proper break.

It is recommended that employees leave the workstation for lunch, take advantage of being at home. Find the perfect balance. Get some fresh air to avoid cabin fever and ultimately you’ll return feeling refreshed and more productive for the rest of the day.

Getting out and about can help increase creativity and help undo mental blocks.

This would also include making time for proper meals and drink plenty of water (something which I need to improve!) and avoid the temptation is to snack continuously throughout the day.

Manage distractions

Working in a new environment can be easy to get distracted, so proactively manage things that might interrupt your focus.

Write yourself a list of what you want to achieve to keep you focused on the task in hand. It is recommended that employees write a list of 3 key tasks to achieve at the start of the day.

Ultimately distractions happen and can create stressful situations but remember these are unprecedented times and employers will be more understanding - so don't sweat the small stuff. This does remind me of my favourite video of all time though....

Set clear expectations

A key consideration of working from home is having clear communication with your manager - with this it's knowing exactly what’s expected of you. A simple but effective tip is to have a 10-minute call to kick off the day and wrap up the day. This should address a common problem of employees being out of sight, out of mind.

Stay sociable

Finally and most importantly it is important to ensure you still keep up social interaction.

This can include creating opportunities for socialising during your day, try calling colleagues rather than email or Slack messaging. Ultimately when working on your own, calling people and having a conversation is more stimulating and productive than emails.

If it is a struggle to working on your own, employees could try virtual ‘body doubling’ - this is connecting with colleagues via a video call but both working your own activities, providing some pleasant companionship.

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These are certainly challenging times for everybody - please take care of yourselves, your families and friends…and remember to stay in touch with your colleagues during this time of social distancing.

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