Social distancing was an adjustment. Self-isolation was a challenge. Now we’re in lockdown and it feels like a whole new (disconcerting) world. If you’re working from home through these unprecedented times, you might be feeling the strain. How will you stay healthy and productive? Or frankly, how will you stay sane?
Well, you’ve come to the right place for answers. Cahoot is made up of a fantastic team of remote workers — working from home is what we do day in, day out. So here are our 4 top tips for making it work for you and your team.
Tip #1 Stick to a routine
It’s easy for the line between home life and work life to blur when you’re working from home. Add in social distancing and lockdown and that line becomes pretty much invisible. A routine can help you find the line again. Clock on and clock off at set times, if it helps you can even go through the motions of getting changed into your work clothes.
Tip #2 Have a break, have a Kit-Kat
Or a cuppa, a vegan brownie, whatever tickles your fancy, just remember to take regular breaks. Ideally, step away from your screen and get moving. Your day may feel like it drags on when you don’t have a change of scenery, but the Pomodoro Technique can help with that; the gist is to chunk your day into 25-minute segments, taking a break for 3–5 minutes after each chunk.
Tip #3 Get comfy
We don’t mean slouch on the sofa with your feet up (as tempting as this is). Instead, set up your chosen work spot, ideally somewhere you won’t be easily disturbed, so you can maintain good posture and avoid ending the day with an achy neck, shoulder or back. This means making sure the top third of your screen is at or below eye level, your elbows are at right angles when typing, your back is supported and your feet flat are on the floor. It’s easy to let all this slide the longer you spend at your screen… and that’s where those regular breaks will come in handy to reset your body.
Tip #4 Go virtual with your office
There are lots of virtual office platforms to help you stay connected with your team. Yes, they can sometimes look like a computer game circa 1993 but they pack quite a punch with instant messaging and video chats to cut down on countless emails, ease collaboration and allow off-the-cuff interactions. We use Sococo and it goes some way to replacing the sense of working together in the same place, complete with opportunities for online “water-cooler” chat. Most virtual office platforms also offer a free trial and flexible pricing so you can switch things around as needed.
Keep these 4 tips in mind and you’ll soon find working from home is a breeze. So stay safe and stay tuned for more from our Lockdown blog series.
