working from home advice

4 Pieces of Advice When Working from Home

Working from home has its advantages and disadvantages. It’s great when you don’t have to commute to the office in the morning, not so good when you’ve got kids running around at your feet and you’re on an important call. However, there are ways in which you can make working at home a little be easier for you, this blog will cover certain things such as ergonomics, work attire, planning your day and your home office.

Ergonomics

It may seem trivial, ergonomics has an important role in helping you lead an effective work life. It’s very possible at some point you have suffered from an injured back or a shoulder in life. Such Injuries can cause a huge amount of pain and discomfort to the point at which you struggle to sleep at night.

Such injuries can be caused by many different things, lifting something to heavy at work, using incorrect form in the gym or sitting incorrectly in your chair at work. Using the right chair at work has great benefits for improving your posture when working from home, not only that but ensuring you are sitting in the right position in the chair can greatly improve posture. Even using a cushion can help as well.

It’s also advised to stand up around every 30-60 minutes, so take a walk around your house or in your garden. Stand up when you are taking phone calls. These are great ways to stretch your legs and give your eyes a rest.

Dress For The Office

Stick to your normal morning routine as much as possible, take a shower and get dressed for the day. Get a home workout done if you can or a simple walk outside is great, whichever stimulates your mind in the morning do it and get yourself moving.

It’s important to establish designated work attire when working from home so you don’t fall in the trap of wearing your pyjamas. Studies have shown dressing up for work when at home have a positive impact on productivity. 

So set aside some work clothes, this doesn’t have to be a full blown suit, just find something more comfortable.

Structure Your Day

This applies for not only the work tasks/projects you must complete but for your whole working environment. Ensure your workplace is organised, make sure it is free from clutter. A tidy desk will not only make you feel more organised but it will help you feel more productive.

Use a checklist, write down what is a priority and tackle that first. Another interesting thing to consider is a concept called decision fatigue, this refers to the deteriorating quality of decisions made by an individual after a long session of decision making. So when working from home you could complete the tasks which involve the greatest decision making ability first.

Establish your working hours and/or keep them the same as your normal office hours, routine is highly important to looking after your mental health. Also remember to take your breaks throughout the day to, when you do take a lunch break eat something substantial and make the most of the cooking equipment around you.

Your Work Station

You might not be in the office but this doesn’t mean you can’t have an office, this could be the kitchen table, your bedroom or the garden (it might be a bit cold for that however) wherever in your home it allows for you to work in a quiet manner free from as many distractions as possible.

The key then to your work station wherever you chose keep is to keep it consistent, this is so when the days done you can walk away from there. This helps you keep a good work-life balance as it’s easy to fall into the trap of working late into the evenings when working from home.

How else could I utilize all my free time?

Due to not having to commute to work you may find yourself with more time than normal. How can you use this time? One way is by taking one of our health and safety courses remote or classroom.

We also deliver mental health courses. Our half-day course is aimed at providing learners with the knowledge to identify suspected mental health conditions and the skills to start a conversation and be able to signpost the person towards professional help. The course is for everyone aged 16 and upwards. You do not need any qualifications or experience in mental health to take part.