Millions of workers are adapting to working from home to minimise the impact of the current coronavirus pandemic, including many of the team here at PwE! For those of us not used to having a home office, it can be hard to stay productive and keep a healthy work life balance. We’ve gathered up some of our top tips to help you work from home over the next weeks and months!

Go To Work

...Not literally! Try to get up at the same time as you would if you were still going to work, shower and dress normally. The psychological effect of getting ready for work will help you mentally prepare for a day's work. Being dressed suitably also means you don’t need to panic when a video call is suggested and you’re in your pajamas! 

As well as mentally preparing yourself for working, create a physical space for working. Whether at a desk or dining table, set yourself up with a suitable chair so that you’re comfortable and have good posture throughout the day. It may be tempting to lounge on the sofa or in bed, but not only will this have a negative impact on your posture, it will also erode important work/life boundaries. 

Take Breaks

No one should be looking at a screen for 8 hours, whether in the usual office or working from home. It’s good practice to take a break every hour for 5 minutes to rest your eyes and stretch your legs. 

Take a real lunch break, step away from your computer and eat lunch away from your desk or working area. You’ll feel refreshed for the afternoon, and it helps give structure to the day. 

Clear Communications

Establish clear channels of communications with your colleagues, and your customers or clients. If your company is using online task management systems like Slack, Trello or Teamwork - continue to message your colleagues as you did previously. Try not to use Messenger or WhatsApp for work communications which blurs that all important work/life boundary. 

Video Chat Etiquette

As meetings switch to online video calls, it’s inevitable that we’ll be seeing into each other's private lives. Before meetings, check what your webcam sees of your living room, dining room or work space and make sure your ‘backdrop’ is tidy and maintains a level of professionalism. Let your family or housemates know when you’ll be on calls so they don’t disrupt you, but be prepared for friendly interruptions from children and pets! 

While you’re on video calls remember the three golden rules; wear headphones, test your audio in advance and mute your microphone when you’re not speaking. These will minimise feedback sounds and random noises made by your housemates, family and pets. 

This is an unprecedented time for everyone, with us all adapting our ways of working and living to combat the crisis. Here at People with Energy we’re doing all we can to help our clients and personnel through this trying time, please contact us for any assistance, get in touch with our consultants on 01502 564892 or email headoffice@peoplewithenergy.co.uk