Amid times of uncertainties, many of us are working from home, who may have never worked from home before. This can be quite bewildering and difficult at times, especially if you have kids home from school and a partner also working from home.

I am currently juggling with 5 adults working from home, routine, structure and self-care have never been more important than now.

Here are my 5 top tips for working from home :

Maintain a routine 

We are creatures of habit, a routine is really important for our mental health. Set an alarm. You want to avoid having lie-ins. Get up and get dressed, do not spend the day in your PJs. I know how easy that can be, trust me! I have definitely found putting on my makeup and smart casual dress code has really helped with my mindset when working from home. If you are homeschooling too, set up a timetable for the kids, remembering to schedule playtime for them. Our kids need routine as much as we do and making a visual timetable for them is a fun task to all get involved in. I have found a timetable has been really useful for us when needing to share the same space. Booking in time to use a quite space for conference calls so we are not all needing that same space at once.

Exercise

Our daily steps are definitely going to suffer whilst we are in lockdown. Schedule time to do some yoga, go for a walk (remember to adhere to social distancing), look up youtube videos for at-home exercise routines.  Joe Wickes is live on youtube daily at 9 am for Pe with Joe. Such a brilliant idea for our kids and no reason why you cannot join in too.

Virtual Coffee Mornings

How lucky are we to have the technology to connect with friends, family and work colleagues by Zoom, and Skype (among the many apps out there). Use this technology to have a virtual coffee morning. I have been holding weekly Zoom calls with my network ladies, and it’s been such fun, we have a giggle and still manage some networking lol.

Dedicated workspace

This is really important. Do not be tempted to set up your home office from the comfort of your bed or sofa, seriously! Find a space, whether it is the kitchen table or pop a table/desk in your bedroom if need be, having dedicated space is so important for a positive mindset. Take time to make it feel special, layout your makeshift desk with a candle, favorite mug, and a notepad for example. Pop a plant or some cheery flowers on your “desk” too. Remember to charge laptops/iPads the night before so you are all ready to go in the morning.

Take breaks

Don’t forget to take breaks, schedule in coffee breaks and a lunch break, as you would in your day job. A great time to all get together over a cuppa away from your work set up as well. This is your time to grab some vitamin D, sit outside and enjoy the sunshine. Read a magazine or book, do stay away from your computer though.

Finally, this is temporary. Please do not get stressed. I hope you have found my 5 tips helpful and do share any tips you have in the comments

Stay safe, stay inside, protect our NHS