How To Leave Work At The Front Door… When You’re Working From Home
2020 has seen more people than ever work from home; from their home offices, kitchen tables, sofas and even in some cases from their sheds! What started as a bit of a novelty for many who had never done it before has fast become the norm. Yet for the legions of office workers who previously assumed that working from home was an excuse to bunk off to drink coffee and watch Netflix, the new way of working has come as quite a shock.
When you’re not able to separate your working and living quarters, it’s very easy to find yourself checking your emails at anti-social hours ‘just in case’ and letting work flow over into the evening. You’ve heard the phrase “leave your work at the front door” but that doesn’t quite work when you never leave through said door. My top tips to reach a better work-life balance when working from home? Read on!
Get Up And At ‘Em
Even if you don’t have to wake to a 5am alarm to frantically neck some caffeine, shower, make yourself look presentable and catch a packed train through rush hour, it’s still good to stick to a morning schedule. Being up, clean and dressed before 9am (or whenever you start) will make you feel more professional and put you in the ‘work’ mindset.
Structure Your Day
If you usually use a diary to schedule out your days at work, don’t stop now! Set our day’s work into manageable chunks around calls or meetings and with plenty of time to meet deadlines. Don’t forget to block out time for lunch and the occasional coffee break too – if you don’t, you’ll soon find you don’t get any time away at all.
Struggling With Your Attention Span? Try The Pomodoro Method
When you’re surrounded by an overflowing laundry basket, the postman is ringing the doorbell and your dog wants a walk, it can be difficult to focus your attention on work without getting distracted. Try The Pomodoro Method to maintain your focus – set a timer and work for 25-mins solid then break for 5, then repeat. You’ll be surprised just how much you can achieve those 25-mins!
Designate A Working Space
It’s not always possible, but if you can designate a separate space for your work, do it. Try and angle your chair away from any distractions and keep the area specific to work. This helps keep you focused and will help you keep your personal and professional life apart.
Make Plans!
Just because we can’t all go to the pub for after work drinks now doesn’t mean we shouldn’t have things to look forward to. Make plans in the evenings, even if just drinks and a chat with friends on Zoom – it’ll give you a varied day and help prevent you checking back in to work outside of your standard hours!