For many the Covid-19 outbreak has created many concerns around job security, how to go about normal activities and how to keep calm during the pandemic. Peoples lifestyles have drastically changed and many people are dealing with the unusual challenge of now working from home, something they may not have done before.
Even if you have done it before, working from home because of coronavirus might feel like a completely new world: It’s probably sudden. It might be for an extended period of time rather than a day here and there (and you’re not at all sure how long it’ll last).
Here are some tips, which will help you make sure that you’re successful, both at getting your work done and at maintaining your mental well-being:
Make a designated workspace
It is often difficult to separate your work and home lives when working from home. If you never fully disconnect from work, your work productivity will suffer and your home life can take a hit as well. When you are used to going in to the office every day the separation between work and home is physical so you want to try to recreate that as much as possible with a designated physical work space at home. Entering your workspace will help you turn “on” at the beginning of the day and get down to work. On the flipside, leaving your workspace will also help you turn “off” at the end of the day and fully disengage.
Build in a fake commute
Your morning commute isn’t just about getting you from home to work, it gives your brain time to prepare for work. Just because you are not traveling to work doesn’t mean you shouldn’t create an equivalent routine to help you ease into your working day. The solution is a fake a commute. Take a walk in the morning before signing online, while listening to podcasts, audiobooks, or music. It can serve as a great transition between work and personal life. Alternatively go for a walk in the evening once you have finished work and then when you return home you will switch into home mode.
Take a Lunch Break
Without your colleagues around you taking their own lunch breaks, it can be easy to forget to stop for lunch. Make sure you schedule a lunch break every day, to eat and help break up the day.
Have clearly defined working hours
If you have clearly defined working hours, you will be clear about when you are working and when you are not, and at the end of the day, you will know when to transition from working to home life. It also makes things easier if you and your colleagues are on the same schedule, as it will make it easier to communicate.
The main difference between working from home and working in the office is that you are in charge of your own environment, and you have to treat yourself like an employee, recognising when you should have finished work for the day.
How TCP can help
TCP Solutions have full payroll service and assistance for people that work from home or have new assignments that can be carried out from home. If you would like to find out how you can outsource your payroll to TCP Solutions, then please contact our sales team on +44 (0)208 580 0800 or send us a message via our contact page.
