10 Top Tips for Working From Home

Recent events have forced many of us to a working from home (WFH) environment. Like me, for many, it is their first time in this situation. I am not going to lie, at first, everything seemed very ominous. EWFM’s systems were not initially set up for a WFH environment. However, with the ever-growing technologies in the world, the process was a whole lot smoother than initially thought. Google’s file sharing platforms make distributing documents easy. Accounts and emails were easily setup through SAGE and Outlook, to be accessed from the cloud. Hardware such as phones and laptops were all we needed. (Plus, the countless paper files I decided to take home that fill up my office but are not used, I know some of you reading this understand my pain) Time has flown by, we are now 4 weeks in and everything has run smoothly. Something that seemed daunting at first has now become the norm. Now I don’t know about you, having being so used to working in an office, WFH felt weird. Now four weeks in I feel settled, I am therefore going to go through my 10 top tips for WFH: Make a Routine Set your alarm, get up, have breakfast, feed the kids, have a coffee or whatever you may do but repeat this everyday as though you are going to work like normal. Having a dedicated routine makes getting into that chair ready for work a whole lot easier. Dress Smart I hope you are not sitting at work reading this in your dressing gown. Would you go to your office in your nightwear? No, so do not do it at home! Psychologically what you see when you look in the mirror matters. Dress for success and this will inspire productivity. Set up a dedicated office space If viable, try to keep work separate from home. Try to have a dedicated room where you can close the door to keep business in and other distractions out. If you do not have a separate room, try to focus on one area to do you work, a familiar location helps improve productivity. That being said you can’t hear your dog bark or the kids say ‘Mum’ at work, so this leads to my next tip. Set Boundaries Without setting some serious boundaries the office can easily flip between life and work. Remove distractions; set work hours; warn family members. Imagine you are at the office, although it’s tempting, avoid doing household chores or playing PlayStation. Work Normal Hours Being a sales office, we are open 9-5 so working normal hours are mandatory for us. However, for many, you can work in the evening or early morning. This is fine as working from home gives you this flexibility. Make it a routine though, set your hours and keep to them. Take a lunch Now its very tempting to work through your lunch at home so that you can finish early but don’t. Lunch is very important as it raises your blood sugar level and makes you focus in the afternoon increasing productivity. Not only will you feel better in yourself, but your quality of work will also be vastly improved. Face to Face Meetings I’m not talking about meeting up with people, with modern software such as Skype, Zoom and Microsoft Teams, you can meet face to face from your home. Working from home you miss that social contact. Face to face meetings are important as you can see expression and gauge response. This also take me back to dressing smart, your boss does not want to see you in your PJs. Get Out the house Use your daily exercise! Being locked in the same house all day will drive you insane. Maybe without realizing you will be missing that fresh air. Get out, go for a walk or run, its good for the soul and will improve productivity and mindset. Over-communicate You can’t poke your colleague and ask them a question from home. However, communication systems are taking over the world, why don’t you quickly call your colleagues instead. Working from home can become lonely, not only will it answer your question but regular contact will also boost your team’s morale. Take advantage of the perks Now I am sure people reading this do not need being told this one, but remember for many of us this is a one-off occasion. Make the most of working from home. Use the time you save travelling to and from work – cherish time with loved ones, keep busy around the house, or in the garden. Chances are this will not happen again in our lifetime. I hope my tips have opened your eyes and made you think twice about WFH. Follow them and be sure of increased morale, productivity and quality of work. EWFM are still open and raring to help you with all your needs! We work together with you to ensure your satisfaction throughout the process, so get in touch with us today and start to build your long-term relationship with us, so we can help your business grow and operate safely. Tel : +44 (0) 1763 248650 Email : sales@ewfm.co.uk You can keep up to date with our latest news and updates through our social media channels including LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter & Instagram

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