I have had the flexibility to work from home for a long time, but it wasn’t until the start of Lockdown in March 2020 that it became the normal. Before this I would either steal my husbands office or work from the dining table.
During the last few years I have done some things to really make working from home enjoyable .
My Own Dedicated Working Space
I have my Grandads Bureau desk, this is perfect because you can literally shut everything away at the end of the day There are lots of sections for being organized and it has a built in notepad! It’s quite sentimental because I would sit with him at this desk and he had the best work ethic which I am always reminded of.
Planning the day
I like to have a rough plan, the work I want to get done, anything outstanding I need to chase up, any webinars to watch or reading to do. I break it down in to morning and afternoon. Personally I know I am better in the mornings so I will schedule the bigger or more complex jobs for then. If it’s something I’ve been putting off I will start a timer and tell myself that if I get my head down for an hour I can have a snack or a nice drink once that timer goes off!
Avoiding Distractions
One of the best things I started doing was having a notepad on the desk for personal items. During the working day when I think of something I need to do or don’t want to forget about I note it down, this works perfectly because I don’t need to worry I’ll forget or be tempted to just do it while I remember, I can come back to it later once the work is done and stay focused.
Taking Breaks
This is the thing I find hardest. I really don’t want to lose my focus which I find breaks can do, but I also know breaks are needed to be productive. I still struggle with this one but I have a small plan for coming back from the break so I know the first thing I’m going to do, a small easy task to get me right back into it again, it avoids the feeling of where was I up to and what was I going to do next. If its later in the afternoon and I’m feeling a bit tired or drained I’ll open the window next to me, make a nice drink and put the lamp on.
I love working from home but I also enjoy being in the office to catch up on projects and talk to someone, you just can’t replicate that at home. I do believe the flexibility is a huge benefit and being able to work efficiently from home is important. I want to live up to the trust placed in me to get the job done!
Production
