2020 has brought with it many challenges but does working from home have to be one of them?

Many people would have jumped at the opportunity to work from home when it was first suggested in the March of this year but has it since become less appealing? Now we have all come to the realisation that this once fun trend may be much more ingrained, we have to come to terms with the new norm.

The concept of working from home has often been left undefined by many organisations leading to the employees being unaware of what is expected of them whilst they work from their sofa or dining table. Blurring the lines between work and life balance whilst at home has led to many people starting their working day earlier and finishing later. Whilst this may be beneficial to their employer, for the overexerted employee it is likely to cause a strain.

To help us all adapt to the new normal we have put together a few tips:

Create a dedicated work space:

Working whilst slouching on the sofa may have been doable for the first couple of weeks but now it is a more permanent fixture we need to create a space that is purely for working. Come up with a space that suits you, whether that’s sat at a table/desk or whether you prefer a standing desk it is whatever will feel most comfortable. If your partner or children are also at home it would be a great idea to each have a separate space so you are all able to focus on your own tasks, coming together to relax at the end of your schedules.

Schedule your day

As dull as it sounds, having a schedule in place is so important in order to distinguish between work and home life. Let everyone in the household know your schedule and therefore when you will be available to them throughout the day. Setting time aside for meals is so important and can be a fantastic way of spending time with your loved ones and conversing about your day.

Set your working hours

Communicate with your colleagues your working hours and let them know when you are contactable. It is so important to designate set working hours or you may end up answering emails all evening. Negotiate the hours that work for you with your office, if you are happy to do the standard working day then state that and let them know that you are to be contacted within that time. This is flexible depending on what your job role is and what your normal office hours are but have the conversation.

Take care of yourself

Working from home may mean you’re missing out on a walk/cycle to work, but it is still so important to get plenty of exercise. On your daily breaks set yourself a task to reach a certain number of steps or just make sure you’re at least moving from behind your desk. This will in turn help you sleep better which is another crucial thing to consider. If your routine is skewed you may be looking at your computer screen late on into the evening, this will greatly diminish your ability to sleep. Dedicate some time in the evening to have a bit of chill time, whether that’s having a bath or reading a book, winding down is crucial and will help your body adjust to the new routine.

Enjoy yourself

It is crucial your work doesn’t consume your home. Set aside time to do all the things that bring you happiness, it could even give you the opportunity to share those things with your family. Get out and get some fresh air if you’re feeling restless. Just remember to not be too hard on yourself, with everything being so uncertain at the moment it is so important to focus on your wellbeing and carry on being resilient.

Here at ICT Reverse we offer disposal for all IT bearing assets, if you/your company have an office full of redundant IT equipment, we can collect and dispose of it all. Using Blancco software we are able to completely erase all data from the hard drives providing you complete peace of mind that all your private data has been disposed of following all of the latest GDPR compliance laws.

Get in contact with one of our friendly account managers on: 01524580900.