My tips for working from home and staying sane during the coronavirus outbreak
Many people have already been advised to work from home and its looking like many more will be asked to in the coming weeks. Running my own business has meant I often work from home and I wanted to share with you my top 10 tips I’ve picked up through trial and error along the way:
Get ready - Treat each day like any other workday - get up and dressed as you normally would if you were going to work, lying around in our PJ’s all day may make us less productive.
Breakfast – starting our day right with a nutritious balanced breakfast can help to fuel our morning and day properly. Aim for a balanced breakfast of protein, healthy fats, and carbohydrates, fruit or vegetables (have a look at my infographic here to help and have a look here for breakfast ideas).
Designate a work area – if possible, designate a work area, this might be a spare room or desk space somewhere. For me it’s the kitchen table but I always make sure I eat any meals in a different seat away from my laptop and work so there is some separation from work and mealtimes.
Stay hydrated – make sure you are getting enough fluids in to help keep focus and concentration – dehydration can affect our ability to concentrate.
Stick to your usual mealtimes – this helps to keep some structure in your day and makes it feel more like a workday. Changes in our routines can sometimes cause stress eating but that is completely normal. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Have nutritious and tasty snacks on hand for when you do feel hungry between meals.
Take regular breaks – schedule in regular breaks to keep you focused and productive. It can be something as quick as making a cuppa or taking a walk round the block or heading to your local park for a wander can not only help get some movement into your day but also helps you get some fresh air. Try not to have any distractions when you do this so perhaps leave your phone at home or have it on silent so you can completely switch off for a short time. I find this helps me be so much more productive when I return to my work.
End of the day – set a time where your workday will end. It can be hard to separate work and home life when working from home and it can be so easy just to keep working into the night but try to set a time where you will finish work. Leave your workspace at the time and close the door, or if like me you work from your kitchen table, clear away your work stuff and put it away somewhere.
Stay up to date but don’t overwhelm yourself – it is important we are aware of the changing guidelines around corona virus but there are so many opinions, articles and sensationalist headlines flying around the internet at the moment and it can be really overwhelming. Do stay up to date but make sure you are getting your information from credible sources like the NHS or government websites. Unfollow anyone on social media who is making you feel anxious.
Take this time to slow down a little – we live in a world where everything happens at 100mph and we very rarely get the opportunity to relax so grab this opportunity now. Read those books you’ve been meaning to read for a while, take long baths, sleep more, or walk outside in nature.
Do something everyday to keep positive – despite the fact that we will try and carry on as normally as possible I know it’s a uncertain and at some points, worrying time so do something each day that makes you happy and keeps you positive. Whether that is calling a friend, cooking a delicious meal, taking a walk, reading a book, buying some flowers, painting, dancing, running, whatever it is make sure you do 1 positive act daily to help keep your spirits up and stay positive.