What 17 months of working from home has taught me.

As a seasoned homeworker based in Northumberland working for Leeds-based marketing agency, Consume Communications – I thought I’d share some little tips that I’ve learnt over the past 17 months for those who are currently new to working from home.

Create your own workspace

Whether it be on your kitchen table (where I’ve been working from, until literally yesterday after finally buying a desk at the weekend), a bench in your flat or office space in your home, create an area for yourself that aims to get you into work mode! Try and stay away from the comfort of your sofa or your bed, as distractions including repeat episodes of Friends and cheeky naps will creep in and steal your focus!

Have regular breaks

This can be anything from making yourself a cuppa or a snack, going to sit in a different room for 15 minutes or a short phone call with a friend – having regular breaks can keep you from feeling a bit suffocated sitting in one room, and they also help to improve your productivity levels!

Music

This is a massive one for me as I struggle working in silence. Either Radio 1 or Spotify are always on to ‘keep me company’ and keep me happy! Click here to find a playlist with lots of happy tunes (there’s a good old mixture in there/don’t judge me…) – it’s also collaborative if you want to add any!

Exercise

Especially if done in the morning, exercise is a great way of boosting your alertness, energy and productivity. If, like me and you need to get outside, take yourself on a nice walk at lunch (though as advised, stay a safe distance away from others), a run or create a workout space in your garden if you have the room. If you’d prefer to stay in, YouTube is chock-a-block filled with exercise videos, from yoga to Zumba – there’s plenty to choose from. You never know, you might discover a new hobby!

Get ready as if you were stepping out the front door

Switching up your mindset by getting ready as if you were en route to the office really helps. This is something I can be a bit rubbish at – sweats and a jumper is my usual attire…though from hearing from others, and when I do spend a bit more time getting ready in the morning, it does help to get you into work mode.

Stick to working hours

Stick to your normal working hours to maintain the feeling that you’re still at work even though you’re at home – no lazing around in bed until 8.50am! However, if you’re able to work flexibly and this works for you/gets the job done, then go for it!

Have something nice planned for your evening

This acts in a way to ‘treat yourself’ for getting your work done with no procrastination! Look at it in a way that, if you have something planned for your evening, you need to complete that piece of work within your working hours to be able to have the time to enjoy it.

• Find a recipe and whip up a nice meal
• Webcam chat with your friends and family
• Take the dogs on a long walk
• Be creative – paint, draw, make something!
• Get cosy and watch a good film – Universal Pictures will be streaming their newly released films soon!

I hope these help! I’ve had my ups and downs from working at home – its not easy! But remembering and actioning these simple tips (that you probably already knew anyway!) really do help.