How to remain productive when working from home

Many of us are now being confronted by the challenge of WFH (Working from Home) for the first time. For most it has become mandatory and we have had to very quickly adapt our usual working practices into new ways of working to ensure consistent and productive days from our homes. For many, it is difficult to replicate the built-in discipline of our office work environments, and can be a difficult transition to make.

Although this will undoubtedly be a short-term adjustment, it will also without question revolutionise the way we all work going forward, with much greater flexibility in our work and home life balance, and also how we do our jobs - embracing new technology and means of engagement/collaboration with our colleagues and clients

Here are a few essential considerations in getting your early home office planning right to meet your specific work needs and to help you make this transition as effective as possible.

This is a really important decision to make and get right at the beginning, and this will be dictated by many specific factors relevant to your home and family environment - for example if you have young children who are playing or want your attention through the day.

If you have a spare room which you can convert, this will give you a quiet space when you need it to concentrate, as well as privacy if you have to make regular client video calls. Alternatively if your home is quiet without distractions, you may just want to setup your workstation deskspace in a corner of your living room, with nice natural light and a view into your garden. Maybe one fixed work space is not the best solution for you. Perhaps you use your desk area to undertake your more detailed formal tasks every morning, whilst you can relax on your sofa for an hour in the afternoon to do some research, go through client email communication, or do some topline idea notes for projects. Wherever you decide, your office space should be as comfortable as you can possibly make it, as well as a space you enjoy being in. You will after all be spending almost your entire day in it. So this is the perfect opportunity to create a cosy but productive space that is perfectly suited to your individual working style.

A professionally setup office area also clearly delineates your work space and time for other family members – clearly indicating that when you are in that space, you are ‘at work’.

A clutter-free work and desk area will also greatly aid your productivity. You will no doubt be working in a more confined space than you are used to, so all the more reason to remove all unnecessary items including folders and reference files. Try to go digital as much as you can to minimise and streamline your workflow. Avoid the need for printing documents as much as possible. Make sure your domestic life does not creep into your work area, with various items sitting around which constantly remind you of your household chores.

Create a master list and identify all the essential tools and items you need as part of your work area; make sure each one of them has a precise position, home and purpose, and that they are returned to these positions after use each time.

Double monitors and a keyboard can really replicate your office environment and lead to better productivity through the clarity and impact they provide. A clutter-free work zone will help you stay focused on the workchallenges at hand and keep your mind aligned with your normal office work experience.

Working on a bed or sofa all day is probably not going to be very comfortable, or good for your posture and back. Make sure your desk area is the right height, with a comfortable chair which provides the right adjustable height and support you need. It is really important to minimise the damage sitting for long hours at a time can cause to your body and mind. Make sure you follow ergonomic rules such as having your back and neck straight, and your arms parallel to the floor, and make sure to take regular short breaks.

Control the lighting to your work space. Bright outside sunshine streaming in through glass walls or velux windows can be a blinding distraction off work monitors and laptops, as the light moves and changes through the day. Try and use controlled task lights such as floor standing lamps to provide the right consistent level of light you require. Looking after your mind and body when working from home will pay dividends going forward, in terms of quality and work productivity, but also importantly in the quality of your home and family life.

One of the most significant changes when moving to work from home, is the fact you no longer physically interact as a team with colleagues through each day as you normally would. It can be a lonely place, devoid of teamplay and ideas sharing. So stay connected and maintain your social networks.

Try as much as possible to keep to your personal daily routines. Decide on which means of communication best fits each requirement when you need to reach out to colleagues – email, telephone, Team chat or video conference.

It is really key to have a clear consistent system for agreeing work priorities, who is doing what, collaborative team discussions where needed, how different levels of management and departments interact. This may mean the routine of calendared video calls at set times for different groups within your company. It may also mean having just a 10 minute overall company social call over a virtual coffee every morning. The latest technology systems such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams are proving invaluable tools in allowing virtual teams to come together effectively every day to share ideas, discuss and agree ways of working, agree project priorities and much more. These new communication systems also prevent you and colleagues feeling isolated, which is a key challenge of WFH, which can impact on mindfulness, mental health, and of course work productivity and quality. So make a point of using these new tools to chat to colleagues whenever you feel the need for other ideas and viewpoints.

So you are working from home, no need to get smartly dressed up and head into the office every day? Actually, just because you could lounge around in your pyjamas all day does not actually mean you should. Psychologically this approach can compromise your normal focused hard working productive standards.

So try and keep to your tried and tested normal working routines. Getting up at the same time. Exercising first if that is what you normally do. Taking a shower and getting smartly dressed. Having fresh orange juice or your cup of coffee to get in the perfect mindset.

Set clear business/work hours for everyday. Because you are working from home, you can be flexible with this and tailor to how you work best – for example if you as a person are much more productive in the morning, or alternatively if you are more effective as the day progresses. Have a very hard focus on what time work stops and stick rigidly to it; this is really important to your work life balance.

Start your day with a clear schedule planner – identifying your list of tasks for the day ahead, in a clear prioritised order. Try and take on the more complex projects first whilst your mind is fresh and focused. It can be one of the most satisfying feelings through your day as you eliminate your list of tasks one by one, particularly the more difficult ones.

Take regular small breaks through the day. Step into your garden or go for a short walk every hour for a five minute break in the fresh air. It can make all the difference in allowing you to process where you are at, what your next priorities are, how to handle that imminent looming project challenge.

Eat a light healthy lunch and snacks during the day. We are fortunate in having access to our kitchens, so make sure you have prepared earlier the meals you need to sustain you through your working hours. Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables – they are proven to have a direct link to overall work productivity. Why not reward yourself with a sweet treat on a Friday mid-afternoon for almost completing a successful WFH week!

One of the most common challenges of working from home, is knowing when to stop working and return to home life with family. Again try normalising your routine to how you effectively worked before this new normal. Make sure you have the right psychological markers in place through your day to begin, take coffee breaks, or lunch and some fresh air, and time to switch the monitors off at the end of the work day. Likewise, try not to let domestic home projects and chores enter into your working hours – for example the laundry ironing, or loading the dishwasher.

When it is time to log off, make sure it is more than shutting down your laptop. Log out of Team Chat and other communication tools. If you have last minute ideas about your work in progress, jot them down so you can pick them up in the morning. We all need to know when it is time to move into home time again.