Working from home? Our Recruitment Consultant and Wellbeing Ambassador, Ash Barrett, has shared some tips to help you revamp your routine and make the most of your working day.
The global pandemic meant we all had to make big changes to our lives. For a lot of people this involved going from working in an office with our colleagues to working from home on our own.
Now that restrictions have lifted, some people have returned to the office, but many people are still working from home. Feeling stressed, anxious and unmotivated can be heightened by remote working on a continuous basis so here are some great wellbeing tips to help:
Make a dedicated work space
Try to make sure this area is free from clutter and any distractions. Make sure you have everything you need close by and that you’re comfortable in your workspace. If you don’t have an adjustable chair, use cushions on your chair as support and position yourself so you can get as much natural daylight at your workspace as possible.
Clear out your workspace at the end of the day
If you’re working in the middle of your dining room or in your bedroom, you are having your workspace take over your personal life and it might even be tempting to work extra hours. According to a study by the National Bureau of Economics, across 21,000 companies in three continents people added 48 extra minutes to their workday since the start of the pandemic. So put away that laptop and working equipment when you’re done for the day – you can set it up again tomorrow.
Make a to-do list
Having a to-do list can help you stay focused on the tasks you need to do. Sometimes we can get distracted from our day-to-day job with other tasks and helping others. Having a to-do list can help you plan your day and help you to say no to things that might not be a priority. There are many tasks that can wait until the next day. If the task is not urgent, pencil it in at a moment you have actually time for it to be completed.
Plan your breaks
It is extremely hard to stay focused for 8+ hours staring at your screen. Therefore, you should plan your breaks at the beginning of the day and try to take your breaks away from your working area. For example, take 10 minutes in the morning to stretch your legs, take a proper lunch break for at least 30 minutes. This can help to get yourself recharged and refocused.
Stay connected with colleagues
Take some time during the week to have a check-in call with your boss and colleagues. This can be to talk work or non-work-related topics. This can help you to feel connected to the job you are doing and to share experiences of things you may think you are going through alone.
Set boundaries and stick to them
Set a time to start work and finish work and stick to it. Make sure your boss and colleagues are aware of this and set boundaries so you don’t respond to emails and calls after hours. Sticking to this will help with your work-life balance.
Have a fun ending to the day
Check your calendar and to-do list for the next day. Then turn off your laptop and do something fun to celebrate all you’ve achieved for the day. This can be something like cooking a great meal, meeting up with a friend or going for a walk.
We hope you found these tips useful, if you have any more to add please let us know – [email protected].
