As you may know, I am currently combining working from home and working in the office, for my part time social media and administration job role for a local charity, alongside my blog. I had been furloughed for a few months, but returned to work at the end of March, and have since settled into a routine where I work from home two days a week, and work in the office two days a week.
I am really fortunate that my office are so flexible about work conditions, and have allowed me to return to the office with my 5 month old puppy, Bella, in tow. Bella is actually really good in the office. She will sit under my desk most of the time we are there, resting in her dog bed, which I take along with me, or sitting on my lap and watching me work. The office staff are also really friendly and big dog lovers, so she gets lots of cuddles and attention from my colleagues too.
On the days that I am working from home, I have found the change in scenery a little jarring at times, and I need to work hard to stay productive on the days that I am not in the office. Here are some of the things that I have been doing to help me stay productive whilst working from home.
Ignore the Chores
One of the biggest issues with working from home is the temptation to get things done around the house during the day. Ed and I try to split the household chores as much as possible, but if I see washing up piled up, or clothes that need to be washed, I have to remind myself that I am working and ignore the household stuff during my work hours. I have started getting up earlier, on the days I work from home, so that I can get these chores sorted and done, so I am not distracted by any mess whilst I work.
Make a Lunch in Advance
Again, the temptation to stop and make myself some lunch whilst working at home is strong, but it would cut into the time I have to work, and prevent productivity, so instead I make myself a lunch as if I were taking it in to the office. I can warm it up in the microwave, if I want, but I am not taking the time to prepare something from scratch, when I should be on my laptop.
Schedule in Breaks
Having said this, it is important to schedule in breaks at certain points throughout the day. I try and have my lunch at the same time everyday, and I will fit in a walk with Bella in the morning, as well as once I finish work for the day, before the school run, using the time I would usually be commuting to and from the office to my advantage.
Sit at a Desk
I used to be awful at sitting in bed with my laptop when I worked from home, but I do find that sitting up at a desk or even just the dining room table really helps me to get more focused on my work. It can be tempting to get all cosy when working from home, but then I get sleepy and the temptation to sit and snack is strong. Instead, I sit at my work station whilst I am working, leaving the cosy areas of the house for after work, which really helps to separate work from leisure, when working from home as well.
Have a To Do List
I struggle with anxiety, and a to do list really helps me to centralise my thoughts and know what I am doing and what needs to be done before the end of the day. Again, I tend to separate my work to do list from my personal to do list, to keep things compartmentalised, which really helps me to feel like I have had a productive day working from home. I also regularly check in with my line manager over the Teams app, to let her know what I have been working on, and to see if she has anything else to add to my list for that day.
