We think the title of this blog post tells you everything to know about what comes next, so without further ado, let’s dive straight in with letter A…
ALARMS - Even if you don’t have to be up as early to leave for the office, you should still set an alarm to commit to wake up at the same time and maintain your routine.
BREAKS - Don't forget to break away from your desk every now and then, it'll you refresh and refocus.
COMFORT - Make sure your home workspace is comfortable to be in and where possible, invest in good home office furniture.
DRESS - Don't start your work day in your pyjamas, get up and get dressed. #DressForSuccess
EXERCISE - It's good for the mind and the body so get your heart rate up and the endorphins flowing, it'll help you feel good.
FOCUS - Working from home means there are almost always distractions, so just focus on one (like children or pets) and use it to maintain your rhythm so you stay busy. It sounds counter-intuitive but the rule of productivity is the busier you are, the more you'll get done,! Turn distractions in actions!
GOOGLE HANGOUTS - A great way to keep in touch for both work and social activities. Sometimes things can’t be explained over the phone and this is the next best thing to being face to face.
HOURS - Declare your availability and working hours so your colleagues can keep track of your work capacity and so they know when to contact you.
INTENT - Always assume positive intent. When working from home chat messaging sometimes falls a bit short and it can be easy to misinterpret a remark as rude or flippant. Remind yourself to see the positive intent first and use emojis to support your intent when chatting with the team.
JOIN IN - Working from home can feel isolating, so if you're the business owner, create opportunities for your employees to join in doing things together, if you're the employees, then make the most of those opportunities. Lunchtime drop-ins, virtual quizzes and even collaborative working are all excellent ways to join in.
KINDNESS - Remember to be kind to yourself when working from home, it's often not as easy as working from the office, so set realistic expectations of what you can get done and be kind to yourself, don't pile on unnecessary pressure.
LISTS - Working from home can make it challenging to keep track of what you need to do, so keep to do list and update them every day. It can be a pen and paper list, or a digital list thanks to project management tools like Basecamp, Trello and so on...
MUSIC - Streaming music that compliments your work style can help keep you motivated and it staves off silence without creating a digital distraction like the TV!
NATURE - Bring the outdoors, indoors by opening windows and letting in plenty of natural light as well as decorating your workspace with plants.
OUTSIDE - Boost creativity and productivity by stepping out into the garden or onto the balcony a few times throughout the day. Even just for a few minutes, it’s better than being stuck indoors.
PRODUCTIVITY - Discover when you are most productive and build your work schedule around your peak productivity periods so you make the most of your time. #SmallActsOfSuccess
QUALITY - When working from home, things can often take longer to do that they would in the office, so embrace it and focus on getting the quality of your work right, before worrying about quantity.
ROUTINE - Always maintain a good work routine, set a start time, regular snack times, a lunchtime and a finish time to help keep you on track.
SNACKS - Research has shown that eating fruits and vegetables has a direct link on overall productivity levels so stock up on these but perhaps reward yourself with a sweet treat on Fridays IF it's been a successful week.
TIDINESS - Staying in the same space 24/7 means things can soon get messy, but regularly tidying your home workspace will help you stay organised.
UTILISE - Utilise your time. We are always wanting more time to do those things that we never seem get round to doing. It could be connecting with an old friend or cleaning out your cupboards, whichever it is - now is the time to do it.
VIDEO CHAT - Working from home can get pretty lonely, especially if you are single or live alone. Make it a point to chat with colleagues, team members, or clients each day. Tools like WhatsApp, Skype, Facetime and others make it easy.
WORK - It sounds obvious but if you are working from home, you are there to work, so make sure you are set up and ready to do this as soon as you wake up so there's less time for distractions to creep in.
X-BOX - Another great way to use your spare time and also to connect with others, whether it’s Fortnite or Call of Duty, the X-Box will become an escape for many during the lockdown.
YOGA - There are plenty of virtual exercise workouts online to help keep you fit and healthy but with Yoga you also get the added mental health benefits of reducing stress and relieving muscle tension.
ZOOM - Social distancing doesn't have to mean social disconnection. Zoom is one of the many video communication platforms available which can be used for work and for fun. Why not have a quiz or game of bingo with your friends and family.