Working through COVID-19

Articles
Written By Simon Cox

For many of us, we will be working from home for the first time. It’s new territory. It’s exciting and perhaps a little daunting as we’re unsure how best to manage our time.

Each of us works in different ways, therefore, each of us needs to create our own routine for working from home. However, the principles remain the same; limit distractions and maximise productivity.

Our team works remotely and below are 5 tips we would like to share to give you some direction when it comes to working from home:

Apps & Add-Ons

Working remotely means you may no longer have access to software and technology an office usually provides. This means you can utilise different apps and add-ons. Below is a shortlist of some apps and add-ons we have found particularly useful:

  • Spotify – An office favourite is the “Chillout lounge” playlist.

  • BlockSite – Set your browser in work-mode to stay off Facebook, Amazon etc.

  • Adobe Scan – Turn your smartphone camera into a scanner and send PDF docs via web link or email.

  • Microsoft Teams – For sharing docs with your teams and hosting conference calls and webinars.

  • Google Calendar – Schedule reminders, meetings and tasks throughout the day.

 

Start the Day Right

Continue with your usual morning routine that you would follow for a normal workday. Keeping up with this routine will help you feel grounded and trick your brain into ‘work-mode’ even though you’re working from home. For those of you who commute, consider how you might make the best use of this extra time now travelling is limited.

 

Set "Real" Work Hours

Following on from the previous point, it’s important that you try and stick to your regular work hours/shifts as much as possible. With the lockdown, managers and leaders will be regularly checking in on their teams to make sure they’re working and not binge-watching Netflix. Setting real work hours means you will also be able to schedule in breaks throughout the day so you resist the temptation to start late or go on Facebook just because no one is watching.

 

Find your High-Energy Moments

Morning Person or Night Owl? Each of us has times during the day where our energy levels are higher than at any other point. For me personally, it’s between 10am and 2pm, so this part of the day is where I’ll schedule my most difficult task. By doing this early, I can then work through my remaining tasks for the day without this looming over me. Consider where your energy levels are the highest and schedule your most difficult tasks for then.

 

Dedicated Work Space

It doesn’t matter how productive you think you are, working where you sleep is a big ‘No’. For some of us, we may have partners, children and pets wanting our full attention now we’re at home. Therefore, creating a dedicated work space where you can concentrate on work without distraction is vital. If you’re lucky enough to have your own office at home, then use that, otherwise, the kitchen table is the next best thing. If you do have a partner, children or pets, try and make your chosen work area ‘off- limits’ during certain times. Keep the door closed and headphones in until your scheduled breaks.

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Simon Cox

I’m Simon Cox and with my wife Rachael Cox we run Wildings Studio, a creative brand studio in Devon, UK offering branding, website design & brand video.

We create magical brands that your ideal customers rave about; and leave you feeling empowered and inspired. Our approach blends both style and substance, helping you go beyond your wildest expectations.

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