With half the country snowed in I thought now would be a good time to share some top tips for working from home. Although today’s technology means many of us have the tools to work just as effectively out of the office as in it, working at home can still present the odd challenge – not to mention the temptation of the biscuit tin, of course. Here’s a few suggestions for a productive home-working day from me and my colleagues. Send us yours too!
1) Set yourself up a dedicated work area and make it your ‘out of the office-office’ for a day. It helps you focus. Phil says ‘I don’t have a study room so I extend my dining table, set up my laptop (with a mouse and keyboard) along with my work folders and a pad/pen. Add a cup of coffee – and I’m good to go’.
2) Check your schedule and your kit first thing. There’s nothing worse than having to turn the house upside down 5 minutes before a conference call to find your headset, or that you have your headset but it’s not working properly. On a related note, also check you have all the call details you need for the day’s meetings. Keep your company tech support number close to hand in case you need it. If you’re not sure 100% how to use everything, call them or a techy colleague in advance to check your setup.
3) Tidy up the view behind your webcam. As Chris says ‘No-one wants to see the pile of dishes by your sink or your laundry on the radiator when they’re talking to you’.
4) Get milk. There’s nothing worse than realising you can’t have you morning cup of coffee before the first call of the day without going out to the shop. On a similar note, make sure you have something lined up for lunch.
My colleague Steve gets his own section for some great suggestions on a productive home-working routine. Thanks for the tips!
1. Have the same morning routine as if you were going to work i.e. have shower, get dressed etc. I’m not saying put on a suit (unless you like wearing suits) but staying in PJ/dressing gown isn’t conducive to getting into a work mindset
2. Have regular breaks 5-10 minutes every hour (you would have this walking to another meeting if in the office)
3. Go out for a short walk at lunch. The very cold fresh air is great for clearing your head
4. Try to arrange your schedule to be varied e.g. break up 2 hours of solo work with a conf call
5. Remember to stop for lunch and at the end of the day as normal