Make working from home, work for you

So, you’ve suddenly found yourself working from home?

Moving an entire company to remote working is no small task, especially when it happens almost overnight. During the coronavirus pandemic, the world went from business as usual to being confined within four walls while trying to decide whether chocolate and wine counted as essential.

People with children suddenly became teachers, referees and riot police while trying to maintain a professional expression on video calls.Monday morning management meetings moved online, usually with only the occasional interruption from an overexcited toddler. Meanwhile, Wendy from accounts spent more than a reasonable amount of time trying to work out how Dave had set his video background to Oktoberfest.

With workforces scattered across the country, these working from home tips can help employees, managers and business owners make remote working a little easier.

Communication is vital to the success of any team. It becomes even more important when people are working remotely.

Schedule a conference call, or preferably a video call, at the beginning and end of the day. This gives everyone a chance to agree priorities, raise problems and check progress.

In this situation, communicating a little too much is usually better than leaving people wondering what is going on.

That does not mean checking every five minutes.

Avoid turning regular communication into micromanagement. Trust employees to organise their day and do the work expected of them. A little trust goes a long way.

You do not need to put on your Sunday best, but joining an 11 o’clock call with Sally from marketing in your pyjamas and dressing gown probably will not help.

Getting up and dressed keeps part of your usual routine in place.

Set an alarm, get up at your normal time, have a shower and put on something you would be happy to answer the door in.

Keeping a working week routine can make it easier to switch into work mode, even when the commute is only a few steps.

Working from home with children is no picnic.

Remember that plenty of other parents are in the same boat. Do not panic if a small person wanders into a video call to ask an urgent question about snacks. With older children, clearer boundaries can help. Give them a task and explain the times when Mum or Dad cannot be interrupted. Break the day into periods when you are available and periods when you need to concentrate.

A traffic light system can provide a useful visual cue.

Red means do not disturb. Use it sparingly, perhaps when you are on an important call.

Amber means you are working but can answer a question if needed.

Green means you are on a break or the working day is over.

Children are used to routines, so this can help them understand what is happening. Most importantly, try to let go of the parenting guilt. Even when they have spent longer looking at a screen than planned, you are doing the best you can.

A routine can help you work more effectively, but that routine needs to include breaks.

Schedule a coffee break and a lunch break. During the coronavirus restrictions, that might also have meant making the most of your government-prescribed exercise.

At the very least, walk away from the computer, make a drink and get some fresh air. A short break can help you return feeling more refreshed and ready to tackle the next item on the list.

Set your working hours and try to work within them.

If you have children, share the schedule with them so they know when you should be available.

At the start of each day, make a list of what you want to achieve and put the tasks in order of priority.

At the end of the day, review what you completed, note anything that needs to move to tomorrow and recognise what went well.

Most importantly, turn off your computer. That physical action helps mark the end of the working day and stops work spreading into every part of the evening.

You probably will not do your best work from the sofa with a Netflix box set running in the background.

Setting up a suitable working environment can make remote working much more manageable.

• Use a table and a supportive chair
• Work in a well-lit room where possible
• Open a window and let some fresh air circulate
• Keep everything you need close to hand
• Keep the area tidy, particularly if you are video calling clients

You do not need a perfect home office. You just need somewhere that helps your brain understand that it is time to work.

Whether you were in lockdown or working as a key worker, the coronavirus pandemic brought an unusual level of change and stress.

Pay attention to your own wellbeing and make time for something you enjoy.

Read a favourite book, go for a bike ride, watch a film, learn something new or start a project.

Or, like the rest of us, finish one of the projects you started months ago and have been carefully ignoring ever since.

Be kind to yourself. Working from home during a difficult period was not easy for anyone.

Some physical tasks seem impossible to do from a computer. Putting letters into envelopes and taking them to a post box would appear to be one of them.

It does not have to be.

Postworks is an online print and post service that lets you upload and send letters from home without needing a printer, stamps or envelopes.

Upload your letter through the Postworks platform and the printing, folding, enclosing and postage are handled for you. Depending on your volumes and current setup, sending business post online can also be cheaper and faster than using stamps or a franking machine.

The Postworks Starter plan is free to use, with no contracts or tie-in, and new customers receive £5 credit to try it. There are no minimum volumes, so the service can be used by small and large businesses.

Call the team on 0370 334 1516 for a walkthrough of Postworks and to see how sending letters online could save your team time.

Working from home is easier when there is a routine, clear communication and a proper stopping point at the end of the day.

Not every day will run perfectly. Children will appear in meetings, internet connections will wobble and someone will spend ten minutes talking while still on mute.

Focus on what you can control, ask for support when you need it and look for practical ways to remove unnecessary tasks from the day.

Most of all, remember that the difficult circumstances that created this sudden change would not last forever.

Stay home and stay safe.