Ikea offers affordable desks that are relatively simple to set up in your home office. It seems harmless at first, but the dangers of poor posture creep up on your slowly. I think we can agree that we are all guilty of this one from time to time. To work effectively at home, you'll need a good Wi-Fi signal, place to sit and discipline. Dedicate a work space and make it your own. Working from home shouldn’t be an encumbrance, it may be the best way to remain safe and secure in these uncertain times due to the corona virus. Some folks might think “working from home” is a day to binge Netflix. However, research has shown that eating fruits and vegetables has a direct link on overall productivity levels. But for many others, the point of getting dressed is being forced to shower and change out of clothes they associate with sleep and rest, even if that means just changing into a T-shirt and jeans. Ellie Wilson is co-founder of virtual assistant service, Virtalent, and has a team of more than 50 remote workers. But only after COVID. After you complete each task, cross it off the list. Be sure your workspace is quiet so you can focus on the task at hand. Keep it moving—try working from different chairs, in different rooms, sometimes sitting or sometimes standing. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. At least 69,000 schools … We have enabled thousands of companies to scale their remote working staff—so we’ve seen what works and what doesn’t. Start putting these work from home tips into practice now to streamline your routine and increase your productivity. 10 Ergonomics Dos and Don’ts for Those Now Working from Home Tips for making sure you stay safe and comfortable in your temporary workspaces. In addition to making to-do lists, get into the habit of using a calendar or planner. To get in touch, follow him on LinkedIn. While you might not miss your daily commute, it does guarantee that you leave the house at least once during the day. Working from home is great, but it can be problematic if it’s not well managed. "At about lunchtime we will just chat over video message about nothing in particular. "More and more people hide behind email rather than pick up the phone and talk to colleagues and contacts," says Hugo Mortimer-Harvey, who's worked remotely from Spain as a freelance PR consultant since 2018. Stay on task by quickly writing down all the things that need to get done at the start of each day. Check out the 2020 Business Communication Report. Even if you don’t leave the house, dress for work as if you were in the office. Boost creativity and productivity by stepping outside a few times throughout the day. To help you, here are my top 5 tips for working from home: 1. It’s not being mean if it results in better performance at work. Depending on the nature of your work, it helps to turn on some background music. It might be fine to indulge in this vice once, but it will catch up to you if you’re not careful. Where it was the president who banned social media, The men vying to take Merkel's top job in Germany, BBC Worklife: The women running companies in 1870BC, Wikipedia at 20: The encyclopedia in five articles. The NHS advice is that you should adjust your chair so you can use the keyboard with your wrists and forearms straight and level with the floor. Set and stick to specific work hours and communicate those hours clearly with your family and friends. About 1.5 million people work from home, and .css-1xgj2ad-InlineLink:link{color:#3F3F42;}.css-1xgj2ad-InlineLink:visited{color:#696969;}.css-1xgj2ad-InlineLink:link,.css-1xgj2ad-InlineLink:visited{font-weight:700;border-bottom:1px solid #BABABA;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-1xgj2ad-InlineLink:link:hover,.css-1xgj2ad-InlineLink:visited:hover,.css-1xgj2ad-InlineLink:link:focus,.css-1xgj2ad-InlineLink:visited:focus{border-bottom-color:currentcolor;border-bottom-width:2px;color:#B80000;}@supports (text-underline-offset:0.25em){.css-1xgj2ad-InlineLink:link,.css-1xgj2ad-InlineLink:visited{border-bottom:none;-webkit-text-decoration:underline #BABABA;text-decoration:underline #BABABA;-webkit-text-decoration-thickness:1px;text-decoration-thickness:1px;-webkit-text-decoration-skip-ink:none;text-decoration-skip-ink:none;text-underline-offset:0.25em;}.css-1xgj2ad-InlineLink:link:hover,.css-1xgj2ad-InlineLink:visited:hover,.css-1xgj2ad-InlineLink:link:focus,.css-1xgj2ad-InlineLink:visited:focus{-webkit-text-decoration-color:currentcolor;text-decoration-color:currentcolor;-webkit-text-decoration-thickness:2px;text-decoration-thickness:2px;color:#B80000;}}it's becoming more popular all the time. Try a 10-minute home workout. The meetings should have an agenda actively involving all members, so they contribute. Related Questions. "Being cooped up without stopping for a break can mean your productivity levels drop, you become more tired and less motivated to complete what you're working on. Therefore, sometimes we end up over-committing and working too much, which also kills productivity. You don’t have to go with the top of the line desk. "It's important to stand up, stretch, move around and even go for a short walk to take a break from your work and your screen," she says. Since the cost of a broadband internet connection with a strong Wi-Fi signal has decreased every year, working from home is common. While you’re at it, check out some other benefits of using Nextiva for business communication and collaboration. Plan the work and work the plan. For those who are new to working from home, below are seven other tips that thriving CEOs I connected with over email have applied to make their businesses and … However, if used just for background noise, it’s probably okay. Dedicate time to meet privately with each member so they can share status updates, receive coaching, and discuss developments from their personal life. Video chat is a great way to stay connected with your team. Working from home tip #1: Have the right tools You cannot do your job effectively […] Call center metrics might tell a different story if you don’t manage your time effectively. Great tools include cellphone stand and second monitor. With modern virtual phone systems, you will appreciate the higher fidelity of your calls. Depending on the amount of space available, consider purchasing a large desk, bookshelves, and a comfortable office chair. One way to do this is a remote team offsite. Research has also found that short breaks throughout the day are more beneficial than less frequent, longer breaks. Create a vision board with goals and aspirations personally and professionally and look at it every day. For those who use Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) solutions, they can maintain connectivity between co-workers and customers. Now that you have your office or work area set up, it’s time to get down to business — literally. "There's a mental angle for each individual that makes you feel like you're working," he says. The SaaS market has capitalized on the freemium model to upgrade to paid plans. Given the sea of tools to work remotely and collaborate, it can be challenging for your team to stay in touch. Distance yourself from work, so you don’t work nonstop. Another work from home reality is that we have full access to the kitchen. Since you’re working at home, you don’t want it too loud or distracting — ensure you can quickly mute it to take a business call. Remote employees might miss some aspects of the office. Employ a “trust but verify” mentality for documents sent to your inbox. Breaks and time management. Photo by Lukas Blazek on Unsplash. Find ways of putting in those boundaries otherwise it becomes difficult to switch off.". He was being interviewed live by BBC News when his two children burst into the room, creating a now infamous video, which has been viewed more than 30 million times. These all work together to make your remote working duties a little easier. Nextiva has provided businesses with robust communication solutions for more than 12 years. Outside of marketing, Gaetano is an accomplished music producer and songwriter – he’s worked with major artists like Fat Joe, Shaggy and loves making music to stay turbocharged. Regardless of space or location, establish an area of your home where you will work, and commit to working in this space every day. "When you spend the day working on your own, actually calling people and having a conversation can be much more stimulating and indeed productive than a chain of emails.". The visualization aspect of a vision board is a great and powerful mind exercise. Physical security shouldn't go out the window when you're working from home. It's to make sure people don't just turn into work monkeys. Working from home can get pretty lonely, especially if you are single or live alone. This is eye-opening, especially for casual social media users. You don’t even have to talk about work, but just to connect as co-workers and people. © 2021 BBC. Since working from home often requires more than chat messages, you need a router that will keep up. A career that lets you work from home can be invasive in your personal life. My biggest work from home tip is to take ergonomics seriously. Communicate your work schedule to co-workers, teams, and your boss. We mentioned using a rewards system in the point above. Yes, setting up a home office or workspace may require a small investment. Alarms aren’t just for waking up. Employees can meet both needs if they can work from home full-time. If you're feeling stiff or tense, try doing some light stretching or exercise with a 10-minute home workout. When you make your task list, stick to it. For example, some individuals are morning people, and they are most productive and focused during the morning hours. Many people feel happiest at work when they’re most productive. Focus on the facts and assume positive intent where it might not otherwise be seen. 21) Step Outside We recommend working in a well-lit room; it brings out your best features. When we work in an office, we are at the mercy of whatever is available in the cafeteria or whatever lunch we brought from home. You might struggle with enjoying your work. Consider upgrading to a business communication platform that brings your phone system, team chat, sales pipeline, and customer support together. Working in an Office, Nextiva Wins Multiple Stevie Awards for Excellence & Innovation for Fifth Consecutive Year. Don’t skip your workout. Benefits for employees go well beyond skipping a commute. You may also need to invest in office furniture if you haven’t already. H ome-working saves a lot of water-cooler time and office chit-chat, but you still need some gabbing and gossip to keep you sane.. 3. Beyond handling phone calls, be sure to discuss the bigger projects they are working on. It builds loyalty, respect, and trust among colleagues. Noise-canceling features can really help improve the clarity of your phone calls. If you're working from home unexpectedly due to coronavirus, ask for what you need within reason. Avoid the TV and other digital distractions so you can focus on your work and getting things done. Spotify is a great streaming service that lets you pick moods for focus and productivity. If you love using social media, then make it a habit to shut off social media notifications during the day. Combine it with a powerful monitor arm to maximize your desk space. Gaetano DiNardi is the Director of Demand Generation at Nextiva and has a track record of success working with brands like Major League Baseball, Pipedrive, Sales Hacker and Outreach.io. Choose the right communication platform to help your team work remotely instead of a myriad of chat apps and a spreadsheet of cell phone numbers. If you want to work like you're in an office then treat your home like one. Productivity. Plus, they can adjust their work hours around local needs. If your day allows, take a lunch break and go for a walk, go to the gym, or stretch. Working from home shouldn't mean you stay cooped up indoors all day. Get a good pair of headphones. Listen to music throughout the day at a modest volume to give you the focus you need. In an effort to stem the number of coronavirus infections, millions of Americans are now working from home, transforming kitchen tables and bedrooms into temporary home offices. In 2020, working from home is no longer such a novel concept. Larger organizations are likely to have an approved VPN solution. Start your day by reviewing priorities for the day. It'll help get you in the right headspace for work and allow you to take video calls on the fly. Working from home tips 1. The problem with personal apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Google Hangouts — as an aggregate — is they don’t necessarily improve internal communication. Since you’re working at home, you don’t want it too loud or distracting — ensure you can quickly mute it to take a business call. Working from home means you might be spending a lot more time without moving your body. Working from home or remote work presents its challenges and opportunities. Use a business-grade Virtual Private Network (VPN) for encryption. You know if you're on task and being productive - keep yourself in check.". Gaetano DiNardi is the Director of Demand Generation at, Pros & Cons of Working From Home vs. A high-performance router will save you from many technology hassles. Yes, this tip is at the top of every other list of working from home tips you’ve ever read. It’s tempting to just leap into your email, but with a little extra focus, you can move the needle while working from home. Consider muting your notifications on your phone. For companies that are all-in on building a remote team, they will soon encounter a strong interest in meeting as a team throughout the year. Another key to working from home is to divide and conquer household and family responsibilities. Purchase comfortable and functional furniture, including ergonomic furniture or equipment. Conduct a strategic business review, SWOT analysis, and deep-dive into KPIs and metrics. This is because if you are always home and near your work, then your work creeps into your home life. When you work from an office, your commute helps your brain shift into “work mode”. Some people find that dressing formally is helpful, and also useful if they need to dial into a video call. Meet regularly, and don’t forget to relax and have a little fun. Working in an Office. It’s easy to lose sight of priorities, tasks, and deadlines. The benefits of telecommuting from home save employers on commercial real estate, among other technology infrastructure issues prevalent in offices today. Beyond psychologically getting you in the right mindset for work, you’ll be ready to handle any kind of video chat or check-in with a teammate. Leverage your lunchtime to take care of personal tasks. One limitation of working from home is that team chat messaging sometimes falls short of expressing ideas clearly. She uses an app that plays background sounds such as a train moving along tracks, or the chatter of a coffee shop. But with the help of these tips and tricks, you’ll have a much better grasp on working from home—and how to do it comfortably and productively. Close your room’s door to avoid disclosing sensitive information to family members or visitors. Remind yourself not to take seemingly short or snide responses offensively. By Eleanor Lawrie & Sara Parry Business reporters, BBC News. Tips, tricks, positive reinforcement and other things to help you cope with working from home. Even just for a few minutes, it’s better than being stuck indoors. It’s easy to get distracted, feel lonely, become overwhelmed, or stay unproductive! Know how to get IT assistance and report security threats. She advises "going to bed at a reasonable hour so that you get enough sleep and then wake up at your usual time. Our recommendation? VideoInside the world's richest e-sports player's mansion. If there are other people in the house, finding a space where you're not likely to be disturbed is essential, as Prof Robert Kelly found out the hard way in 2017. Show up 100% and put your business phone away outside of work hours. 5 Tips for Staying Productive and Mentally Healthy While You're Working From Home By Patrick Lucas Austin March 12, 2020 1:55 PM EDT Discover when you are most productive and build your work schedule around your peak productivity periods. So, when it’s time for lunch or a snack break, we are immediately drawn to the usual snacks, such as chips, cookies, or leftover pizza. For example, if you work from home some days but you are on the road others, get in the habit of using a planner to write down and keep track of deadlines, appointments, and meetings. Don’t slack off on your duty to keep your home office equipment secure. Like watching TV, playing video games, reading, catching up with friends etc. This is another productivity killer. "I like bustle and being around people, so I use sound to help make a bit of an atmosphere," says Gillian Roche-Saunders, whose entire regulatory consultancy firm Adempi Associates work remotely. Related: Working Remotely? Related: Pros & Cons of Working From Home vs. Be mindful under the context of why people work from home. Sleep and then wake up at your usual time need within reason sent to home. Should get you closer to those goals workers who work from home tips you ’ ll likely be up... Planning, you will be grateful at it, you ’ ll be prepared to get down to —! Manage your time effectively prospect of staying in their quarters your remote employees feel valued and included through live meetings! Just stay inside all day is the well-being of their availability, but to. 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