5 Simple Tips for Working from Home

With the COVID-19 outbreak, home quarantine and social distancing implementation by several companies have made it necessary to work from home. At first, being in isolation works well, but as time goes by people get bored and they become less focused and productive working at home.

A work-at-home setup is great, but it can get challenging if it is not well managed. You have to create a work/life balance. Let's dig into some of the best tips for working from home.

Plan your Day

1. Get smart about planning your day by creating a time block schedule.  This will positively impact your productivity. The more you stick to a plan, the more you will get done.  It’s that simple! 
2. Create your schedule the night before and make sure that you prioritize the most important tasks of the day.
3. Make sure to include time for exercise, breaks, and fun in between or after a work time. 
4. Do a morning routine or something for yourself first, like meditate or yoga, or do a 30-minute walk in the morning to help you get energized and centered for the day.
5. Focus on the most important task for the day first before you proceed to other tasks. Once you get that out of the way you will feel a great sense of achievement and open your day to greater productivity.
6. Every hour to 90 minutes, give yourself a few minutes of mental and physical break. Step away from your computer or desk for a while, close your eyes for a few minutes, or stretch your arms and legs, grab a snack, or connect with a friend. Give yourself time to refresh.
7. Before you call it a day, make a list for the next day. It's good to be prepared again for another productive workday.
8. Set an end time for your day.  It can be tempting to keep working, but you need time to rest and recharge to maintain a work-life balance.

Set Boundaries

1. Create a workspace separate from your living or sleeping space. Working on your bed or sofa can be tempting but this is not conducive to productivity. 
2. Keep this area organized. You'll be more productive in a cool room and a clean environment. Your brain will also be more awake in a cool environment.
3. Set boundaries with your family or pets about them regarding this area.  You may have to make a sign for the door when you are in meetings to prevent interruptions.
4. Check your emails or social media only after you've completed your #1 on your to-do list. Limit this to 20 minutes before moving on to the next tasks.
5. Exercise discipline with time spent on social media binge-watching shows, oversleeping, and overeating. 

This is a good time for multi-tasking.  Certain chores like running the dishwasher or a load of laundry while you work, will not interfere with productivity and will free up that time for the weekend to have more fun or relaxation time.

Use Time Productively

1. Prepare things ahead of time, like coffee for the day in your coffee maker, enough filtered water for the day near your desk, have meals and snacks ready-made for you and your family.
2. Prepare meals ahead, where possible. 
3. Remember to plan for healthy snacks too so you do not reach for unhealthy foods in a hunger frenzy.
4. Perhaps consider picking up take-out for the family once or twice a week. Follow the local and national guidelines in terms of safety regarding bringing prepared food home.

Keep up Good Habits

1. Get showered and dressed for work everyday!  Staying in your pajamas all day may be tempting, but this confuses the brain that it is not at work.  The way you look affects the way you feel, and it is important to do things that keep you feeling good and empowered.
2. Make your bed and tidy your living space.  Right now your living and workspace largely overlap and being organized is a key factor inefficiency.
3. With less time running office errands, you may find that you sit for longer periods.  So set your phone alarm to get up every 40-60 minutes and move your body.  You need to get your blood flowing and your back will thank you.  Use this as an opportunity to grab a glass of water or hot tea to make sure you are hydrating enough.
4. Make a point to keep social via social video apps or calling friends and family. 
5. Start your day, and even each task, with a positive intention.  State what you want, not what you do not want!  Things run smoother and faster that way.

Get Enough Rest and Get into Nature

Make sure that you stick to a sleep schedule.  Not only is this good for your body, but keeping consistent will help with the adjustment when you have to go back to the office again.  Sufficient sleep aids productivity and adds to overall well-being.  New research suggests that being close to nature can help improve the quality of sleep.

To get enough rest, experts suggested that you need 7-9 hours of sleep. Here are tips to get more sleep:

1. Schedule a regular bedtime
2. Cut-down caffeine in the afternoon
3. Avoid blue light, from television, computers, laptops, and cellular phones, for 2 hours before bedtime.
4. De-stress by taking an Epsom salt bath or warm shower
5. Commune more with nature in the day
6. Exercise or move your body daily
7. Make your room a sleep haven by keeping it tidy, bed made, and arranging the light and sleep temperature.

Consistency is the key to productivity.  With this change in a routine, it will require a little extra self-discipline and time management.  It requires setting some simple routines but mostly keeping your mood and attitude elevated.

And to make your life simpler and safer at home Hilwaite Holdings sells products such as the JAMM Doorstop that protects fingers from the hinge and the handle side of the door. We also have a new JAMM hands-free door handle, a very helpful product in today’s times where no-one wants to touch door handles any longer.  With this hands-free door solution, you use your wrist or forearm to open the door, keeping your clean, washed hands clean.