The best working from home tips are designed to help you stay productive, happy, and stylish in 2020 and 2021.
Covid-19 has drastically altered the way everyone works. Now, many businesses are starting to see the benefits of allowing employees to work from home permanently.
However, staying on track and in a good mental headspace for 37.5 hours a week isn’t always easy. In this blog, we share some of the best and unusual working from home tips you should definitely explore over the coming months.
Working from home tip #1
Keep moving
You probably already know how important it is to do exercise and take a break from your laptop screen every so often. But have you ever tried walking around when you’re on a call?
It’s something you’ll often see a salesperson do in an office. And for good reason too, as scientists believe it can have a positive effect on your performance and the way you feel.
You see, the brain fills in what it perceives as missing. So, when you translate your emotional responses into physical movements, it changes the perception of your body language to the person on the other end of the phone – even if they can’t see you.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) even suggests “doing three to four minutes of light intensity, such as walking or stretching, will help ease your muscles and improve blood circulation and muscle activity.”
As for video calls, you may have to stick to fiddling with something out of view.
Working from home tip #2
Create a transition from home to work
When you work from home, you lose the bridge from your bed to your place of work. While it seems like a relatively small alteration, losing it can blur the line between work and home. Your brain doesn’t have time to transition and get ready for the day ahead.
If you’d usually exercise before work, do it. Or if you like watching some morning television with a cup of coffee, knock yourself out. The main thing is to create some kind of journey.
Working from home tip #3
Change the view
On every working from home tips blog, you’ll probably see ‘experts’ suggesting the need for a designated working space. Sure, it’s recommended for doing virtual calls and acting as a base. But sitting in the same place every day can soon feel uninspiring.
Freshen your work environment up every few hours. Sit outside – weather permitting. Head to a co-working space. Go back to bed and type away.
There’s no right or wrong choice. Experiment and see what works for you.
Working from home tip #4
Schedule your procrastination
Procrastinating is a given, especially when you’re working from home. So, instead of feeling guilty about watching a YouTube video, taking the laundry out of the washing machine or giving Mr Bojangles an extra bit of afternoon fuss, schedule it into your working day.
Create windows of time when you can give your brain a rest. Whether it’s for 5 minutes or an hour, shut your laptop down and walk away. As a result, you’ll come back refreshed and eager to crack on.
This can also include scheduling short virtual meetings with people to fit in a bit of all-important ‘water cooler time’. In an office, we often spend time chatting about reality TV or telling dad jokes when we go to get a drink. It’s an essential part of a person’s day, so don’t abandon it when you work from home. It’ll keep you mentally happy and focused.
Working from home tip #5
Dress to impress
The work-at-home dress code is an odd one. It seems as soon as we’re allowed to conduct our business within the comfort of our own homes, we think it’s acceptable to dress like a slob.
Granted, wearing a suit isn’t necessary. But similarly, sitting around in your pants and a shirt like you’re Walter White isn’t either. Sure, sure, you’d technically be prepped for virtual calls with the shirt/pants combo. But it only takes one ring of the doorbell to scupper your master plan.
When you wake up, reintroduce the ‘getting ready’ element into the transition period we discussed earlier. The key is to style your hair, have a wash, and look presentable.
Business up top/party down below is a perfect ethos to follow, as you can look super professional on calls and still maintain comfort around the waist.
Think smart Oxford shirt, a tailored leather belt, and a pair of relaxed jeans. You may even prefer to keep your shoes on, as it makes you mentally feel like you’re doing a job. In which case, pop on your favourite pair of Percy Stride Oxford shoes.
Considering your working from home clothes and accessories every day is a crucial part of inspiring yourself to do something and also feeling good about your appearance. Take care of yourself and your work will take of itself.
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