Working from home? Here's our six tips on how to do it more effectively and healthily.

By Stephen Salmon, Marketing Executive

​As a result of the current COVID-19 crisis, many of us now find ourselves working from home. For how long this period will last, there is no sure answer…

There are also new questions brought on by the current situation: what will the long-term impacts of remote working look like? And when this pandemic is over, would more companies offer working from home opportunities?

While the situation has certainly presented its fair share of challenges for our people – namely, having to balance remote working with parenting duties – we’re fortunate to be in a position where agile working is already the norm for 80% of our people.

Based on #TeamGuidant’s own experiences, here are six of our tips to help you work from home more effectively and healthily:

1. Create a dedicated workspace – think ergonomics!

Working from home can present the challenge of keeping your work and home life separated. Having a dedicated workspace will help establish boundaries between the two.

Ergonomics – take care in choosing a good seat that’ll help maintain both your posture and comfort. If possible, choose a spot that can offer you natural light and fresh air. Creating a comfortable setting will benefit your productivity and mental health whilst working.

At the end of the working day, switch your laptop off and step back into your home life.

2. Swap your commute time for exercise.

Perhaps the greatest benefit of working from home is the commute – or lack thereof! Why not use this time to schedule exercise into your day? It doesn’t have to be anything overly exertive; simply going for a walk will energise you with fresh air and natural light. Alternatively, we’ve heard a certain fitness coach is currently the UK’s favourite go-to.

Whether you choose to swap your commute for exercise at the beginning or end of your day, establishing exercise into your daily routine will help you get in to and out of work mode that much easier.

3. Create a schedule.

Start by setting your daily schedule within your regular working hours. By having clear set hours of work, you can establish boundaries for yourself and others in your household for when you are not to be disturbed.

Get dressed for work.
No, we don’t mean put on a suit, but make the effort to differentiate your work attire from your sleep attire. It’s easy to fall into the habit of rolling out of bed and logging on but it’ll make a huge impact in creating a distinction between work and home life.

Factor in regular breaks to refresh and re-energise.
Make sure you dedicate time each day for a lunch break! Removing yourself away from the screen will help you remain focused and productive throughout the day.

‘Eat the Frog’
Follow Mark Twain’s advice of scheduling in your least favourite task at the beginning of your day. Tackling challenging tasks early in the day will help prevent procrastination later on.

4. Maintain team connections.

While the sudden transition to work from home will present many with an unfamiliar style of working, one of the biggest adjustments would be the team dynamic.

Scheduling in a quick daily video call would help compensate for the loss of face to face interactions. It’s also a great way to check in on how each other are coping with the current situation.

Above everything else, the power of social interaction will go a long way in reminding you that you aren’t alone. With social distancing becoming increasingly stringent, the need to interact with others in new and meaningful ways has never been greater.

5. Accept the trust and have confidence.

You’ve been hired for a reason, so relax, put on your slippers and enjoy working with your home-brewed beverage!

If you need to take a comfort break, use your lunch hour to pop to the shop or watch the telly whilst you eat, don’t feel guilty about it. You’re not expected to be online every minute of your working day just because you’re at home – just make sure you maintain productivity and complete the work which is expected of you.

It’s tough, but resist the urge to put on that box set during work hours!

6. And last but not the least – enjoy your time away from work!

Plan what you’re going to have for dinner and have a film lined up! With the additional uncertainty, stress and anxiety caused by COVID-19, it’s even more important now not to let your new working arrangement impact your home life.

Enjoy your freedom from commuting – make the most of the ability to log off and immediately step straight back into home life. Striking a work-life balance will benefit your productivity at work and maintain a healthy lifestyle without burning out too quickly.

What could the future of work post COVID-19 look like?
COVID-19 will have a lasting and devastating impact on our world. We are all very aware of the economic and social destruction it has already caused.

However, when things return to normal and the world returns to their usual places of work, it is perhaps comforting to know that the lessons businesses have learned from this pandemic can and will still be applied to our future working lives.

It won’t be possible, for businesses to say that agile or flexible working doesn’t “fit” into their world. If staff have been able to work from home and complete their tasks remotely during a crisis, then the same approach is also possible at any time.

And while we’re sure people will be desperate for face-to-face time with colleagues the moment it’s safe to do so, it’s amazing to think that a more inclusive approach to flexible working might just be the light at the end of this uncertain tunnel!