Working from home: Tips to do it well

The Coronavirus pandemic has catapulted our school and work-life into the online world. The number of people working from home and studying remotely is rising exponentially.

As of March 2020, it was reported that 88% of Australian organisations have encouraged their employees to work from home.

But trying to be productive at home is a skill in itself.

So here we've compiled some tips to help you work and study effectively while at home. And these will stand you in good stead for the future of work.

Create a clear working space

A clear, or even designated, working space is vital for being productive.

It allows you to get yourself into the frame of mine for work or school and tells your family you are not to be disturbed.

Working from home in your bedroom or your living room is not ideal, as the human brain is wired to relax in those spaces.

It can also cause issues when you do want or need to relax as your brain gets confused!

Set a schedule

Setting yourself clear time limits similar to a school or workday is a great way to ensure you get activities done on time.

Along with this, setting subjects at consistent times of the day can help you mentally associate with a topic which aids productivity.

It also helps manage workload and avoid stress about what is due and what you should prioritise next.

Plus, planning your week and setting a timetable will allow you to feel more in control of your day.

Have a break

When you're setting your timetable, make sure to set breaks in the day.

This stops your brain from turning to mush and allows you to rest, reflect and reset.

If you're working 9-5 from home or studying 8-3 for school, set yourself some short breaks.

Short bursts of exercise are also a great way to boost your energy levels and make you feel less cooped up.

Try a minute of star jumps or a quick stretch to get that blood pumping back to your brain.

It's also vital to set yourself proper food breaks; no one likes to eat and work at the same time - unless you're a chef.

If you try to eat whilst working, you may find that you are less productive, or you may over or under-eat as you're not focused on the task at hand.

Giving yourself time to eat a full meal allows you and your brain to fuel up again so you can push through your daily activities once you’re back.

Create a sense of normality

Whilst you may be studying or working from home, there should be a clear separation between work and home life.

If you have household chores, account for this in your daily timetable as one of your breaks, or consider getting them done early in the day.

This will stop you from worrying about that full laundry basket all day.

Do what works for you!

If you're a visual learner try to include more pictures and colours in your daily routine.

If you re a kinaesthetic learner (you learn by doing) make sure you work through examples and physically practice what you're working on, rather than writing out pages of notes.

Don’t forget there is a whole office or classroom going through the same thing as you!

Touch base with a classmate, cubicle buddy, teacher, or boss for some guidance on a task.

If you can't stay on topic, try ringing a friend and working through some things together.

Humans love routine, but that routine needs to work for you and your family.

Keeping a line between work and home is essential, and will lend itself to more productive days and a happier household.

If you would like more information on how to work well at home have a read of our 'Working and Studying Effectively from Home' Module available below.