What day even is it? Does that clock say half past seven or twenty to six? Did I shower today, or was that yesterday?
Welcome to working from home!
Until a few weeks' ago, I was pretty much the only person I knew who worked full-time from home. Suddenly, though, the world has joined me, and I know from experience that the transition from a workplace with desks, swivel chairs, stationery cupboards and colleagues to a lonely little laptop on your kitchen table is no piece of cake. So whilst you've undoubtedly seen numerous posts already explaining how to best be #wfh, I'll share with you some of the things that have actually helped me over the last 4 years.
I do not have a home office. I mostly work from our dining table, which is not in an actual dining room but in a corner of our kitchen/living room (perilously close to the fridge). For the duration of lockdown, my husband is set up on a folding table in the bedroom. As such, these tips are written specifically with those of you who are now trying to operate in spaces that are first and foremost designed for downtime rather than work, and maybe having to share those spaces to boot.
Create the right environment
Here’s something I recently tried after my husband returned to working in the same room as me. I took a large piece of cardboard (I cut up a box) and folded it so it would stand up on the table like a giant greetings card. I painted it with some leftover white paint (or you could cover it with wrapping paper) and then started to stick little pieces of inspiration all over it, as though it were a noticeboard or even a wall. I made it into the physical version of my Pinterest 'inspiration' board. I cut stuff out of magazines, used postcards and printed stuff off the web. Now I can stand this up and it not only creates a screen around me (so I can't be as easily distracted by what's going on in the rest of the room), but also acts as a bit of in-your-face inspiration and motivation. Best of all, it can be folded up and put aside when the working day is done.
You don't need to shell out for an expensive pair of noise-cancelling headphones to shut out some of those sounds that under normal circumstances you'd barely notice, but when trying to concentrate become unbearable. You can pick up a packet of foam ear plugs in Boots or most pharmacies and they will make a difference.
Thank goodness for music. Just choose carefully – I like upbeat pop playlists when I'm doing something that requires minimal brain input, but when I need to actually think, I turn to film scores; you can go for a movie with the right 'mood' for your work. Disney playlists pick me up when I'm feeling bleak. If I'm having a moment of insecurity (without colleagues to lend my self-esteem a hand these can happen a lot), putting on the right song can completely boost me back up – Shakira's 'Try Everything' or Katrina and the Waves 'Walking on Sunshine' are current faves.
Set some boundaries
Obvious stuff, really, but leave your phone in another room if possible. Set time limits on certain apps or at the very least be aware of how much time you're giving them. If you need to be on the internet for work, don't keep open any 'personal life' tabs (and that includes the news) – just bookmark them for later.
If possible, sit somewhere other than where you've been working to eat your lunch. It might be that this isn't possible; but at the very least be sure to not only down tools but move them out of sight whilst you're taking your break.
Find a way to mark the end of the working day. Change your clothes. Put on some different music and have a little dance. Go for your daily walk. FaceTime someone. Reward yourself.
Take care of your body
First and foremost, take care of your back. You are most probably spending hours of your day now sat on a kitchen or dining chair, or on your sofa. Use a stack of books to raise your laptop to its optimal screen height. If this makes typing difficult, think about buying a separate monitor or keyboard. Use cushions to make your chair more comfortable. And above all, stretch, often.
Brush your teeth after eating. This might seem like a no-brainer, but if your fridge is within a few short steps then it's all too easy to keep going back for a bit more lunch, or even let meals slide in favour of one long unchecked snack-athon. Brushing your teeth after each meal makes it far more likely that you'll think twice about going back for more.
If you feel sleepy, move your body (YouTube has no shortage of free 10-minute workouts). But if you feel uncontrollably sleepy, take a short nap.
Find your own routine
This might seem ironic given the topic of this post(!), but ultimately, don't listen to what everyone else says. It's easy for us to get sucked into believing that all truly effective people are up with the birds and have smashed an hour of yoga and a homemade smoothie before 7am. But that's simply one of those narratives put out there to make some of us feel bad about the way we do things.
I'm no lark, I'm not even remotely an early riser. I like to work late, stay up late, and get up late. I do not exercise immediately upon rising, nor do I rapidly shed my pyjamas in favour of a full face of makeup, smart clothes and shoes. And yet, I still, magically, get lots done! My husband is one of the most productive, hardworking people I know, but he likes to crack on with a few solid hours of PJ work each day before taking a break to shower and dress.
The author Marian Keyes apparently does all of her writing in bed, first thing after waking up, before finally rising, dressing and getting on with the rest of her day. I do my best work in the afternoon and early evening. The key thing with all of this stuff is: do what works for you. Now's the time when you can actually find out what that is.
I'm writing this in the midst of tough and strange times. This is the first post of our newly-revived blog, which will be weekly from now on. I hope that as we all go through this difficult period together that we are able to help you, inspire you or even just distract you. We appreciate that with regards to this post that working from home is a privilege that some people don't have; we send our thoughts out to anyone who still has to go out and risk their health for work, or those who've lost their work as a result of this situation.