Working from home - the top tips 

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Working from home can really make your life a lot more balanced. I've worked from home for over 10 years and with Covid 19 now most of us have been thrown into this new way of working.

It's important to keep in mind that #WFH can put pressure on you unless you establish boundaries from the very start so it has its disadvantages. Try to think of the time you will save in commuting, the relief from those constant interruptions and create the template to start living a life designed by you.

I've compiled here top tips from people who have nailed working from home - let's dive into them and see how we can make working from home work for us so it adds value to our lives rather than cause stress. 

1. Get dressed as if for work. Why not even think about creating a simple work from home uniform? This way you can start your day right and go into working mode right away. I leave my clothes out the night before so I've no excuse. Getting dressed is my first win of the day!

2. Think about your next day schedule the night before and be sure to stick to it - what time you will start and what time you will finish at. WFH can make it tempting to think you'll work a bit longer and complete this topic or reply to this last email. Don't - otherwise there is no boundary set at home from work. Take your breaks and finish at a reasonable time. 

3. Be clear about your top 3 priorities / goals you aim to complete each day (I do up my top-3-goals-list the previous day). Completing at least these 3 you will finish feeling more productive. WFH can be lethal if you start each day aimlessly. You'll end up pottering about and then at 3pm feel guilty you've achieved little and then work onto 9pm to make up for it. Make sure you start with clarity as to what you want to achieve and hit the ground running. 

4. Limit the number of Zoom calls per day as, just like with physical meetings, these can be exhausting. Normally we book each call for 1 hr which is such a long time if you take 5 calls a day. Instead plan to have smarter meetings, limit to 30 minutes and send out a clear agenda and any notes ahead to be pre-read. 

5. Create a separate work space, even if just a small desk in the corner of your sitting room. Having a space dedicated to just work will help to define work boundaries. Once finished you can leave your laptop and files on your desk and begin your new commute home to the kitchen. This also means you won't end up having paperwork all around your house. 

6. Don't feel guilty if you get things done fast and can finish earlier. The key is working smarter not longer. Remember, you're saving time from commute and interruptions so that's ok. You don't need to work the exact number of hours  you would have if you were at the office. Reward yourself for working smart each day, finish early and get outside or meet a friend for the coffee catch up that you always enjoy. 

7. Kids and dogs will enter your Zoom calls. They will be raiding the biscuits, cutting their hair, drawing on walls, needing help in the loo. There's no need to feel embarrassed - that's life.  What I normally do is, I just excuse yourself for a moment and go and deal with what's going on so I can continue with peace of mind. I think it's worth remembering that we're all human and isn't it nice to see the human side too? 

Don't forget this #WFH is still so new for lots of us so many are still learning  and trying to adapt - let's have patience for each other. 

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Have a great day!