Your guide to working from home

Staying motivated and productive when working from home can be easier said than actually done, as you are surrounded by your home comforts and distractions, from kids running about to the dog being needy. With the current situation, many people are working from home at the moment or are in isolation and we’re sharing our top tips for working from home. 

Stick to routine

Keep to your usual work rota as and when you can, whether that’s nine to five or half-eight till four. Wake up at your usual time and get dressed, although your pyjamas might be super comfortable, let’s be honest slugging about all day isn’t going to motivate you. The only thing you won't have to worry about is travelling to work, use this time to prepare a nice lunch, take the dog for a quick walk or set the kids up with a fun activity to keep them occupied, don’t worry, we’ve included some tips for kids below.

Stay organised

Keeping organised is the best thing to do while working from home. Write a list of your top priorities with everything you want to achieve for the day and start getting through them one by one. We love Sophie's notebooks, which are perfect for keeping all your notes in from telephone calls to your to-do lists. It’s also important to check in with your team members to see how they are getting on and keep each other motivated. You might even find that you'll get more work done from home as you won’t have any office distractions. Another positive is you’ll only have to make your own tea when doing the tea round.

A home office

Not everyone has the luxury of having an office at home, but it is essential to have an area dedicated to your workplace so that you can keep your home and work life separate. Make sure this is an inspirational place, full of light, fresh air and positivity.

Occupy the kids

If you’ve got kid’s at home then obviously you need to keep watch to make sure they aren’t getting into any mischief. Start the day by planning some activities that will keep them occupied and entertained while you can get on with work.

• Spread out the pencils and crayons and let them get creative, if you have a spare roll of wallpaper sat in your garage or in your DIY cupboard, then this is perfect and can keep them entertained for hours. Simply turn it over, roll out and let them draw.
• Homeschooling is a great way for learning. If they have any homework outstanding, then this is the best time for them to get their head down and have a catch-up. There are plenty of resources available for kids of all ages online, the BBC has some great advice. With younger kids make it fun, let them think of a name for their new 'home school' and get them to design their new timetable. 
• You can still have a lunch break, perhaps spend some time baking some cakes and once cooled down, let them go wild with the icing and decorations. This also works out as a great afternoon snack too.
• Push the furniture back or head into the garden and do some exercise. Starting from Monday 23rd March, Joe Wicks has announced he will be running a live workout for children called PE over on his Youtube Channel, The Body Coach TV.
• If they've had a day packed with activities and you can see that they are beginning to get overtired, then set up a home cinema in the front room. Although you want to reduce screen time as much as possible, popping on a film now and then doesn't hurt, so dim the lights, put on a film and let them get cosy, while you can take out your laptop and begin responding to emails.
• If you have family and friends in isolation then ask your kids to write letters and draw pictures that you can send to them, this will surely brighten up their day and is such a thoughtful thing for them to do.

Stay positive

There are some challenges you can face when working from home including feeling isolated, disconnected and potentially lonely. If you are feeling down, take a little break, have a walk around the garden, enjoy some fresh air and call your friends and family for a quick chat, it’s good to reconnect with the world.

Do you work from home? Let us know your best tips to stay motivated in the comments below.