Our WFH tips ‘from experience’

My Go Hire’s WFH tips ‘from experience’

Given the unprecedented time that the world is facing as a result of the coronavirus, where possible people are being asked to work from home. For some, this will be a totally new experience, whilst for others, it may represent no change at all.  For those trying it out for the first time, it might be quite an exciting prospect - the ability to work in your pyjamas or on your sofa does sound like a big bonus. 

However, as those that are WFH veterans will tell you, it’s often not all it’s cracked up to be - loneliness, procrastination and a poorer work/life balance are all very real possibilities when working from home.

Amongst the My Go Hire team, we’ve got vast experience of both regular office working and working from home and decided that our experiences might be worth sharing to help our community get the best from the weeks ahead. 

Here are our top ways to get the most from working at home….

1. Keep yourself in a routine and maintain those hours

Set a schedule, and stick to it...most of the time. It’s easy to wake up, watch a few episodes of your favourite Netflix series and get the laptop out. Find a routine that works for you - maybe you could try to stick to your normal hours, or maybe now you don’t have a commute, you could start earlier and perhaps finish earlier if your company allows. 

2. Get the office set up 

Keep away from the sofa and the armchair 🛋️. If you’re working on your laptop, try to get a table and home office set up. It’s also better for the posture. It may seem obvious to say, but avoid any distractions, such as children or pets - If that phone rings, you’re not going to have much time to find a quiet place!

3. 🎵“Don’t sit back in silence” 🎵

Break the silence and have some background music, but don’t spend hours searching Spotify. Our Head of Marketing prefers music without any singing, such as a piano chill-out playlist. What’s your working from home playlist? - Let us know on our social channels!

4. Hydrate 

👩‍🔬Keeping your body hydrated as the day starts, helps promote a sustained flow of blood to your skin and releases toxins from your system.🚰 It can also help to keep those cravings for snacks and treats away - which is always a bonus!

5. Keeping it social

Loneliness, disconnect, and isolation are common problems in remote work life. So set up a chat channel for social purposes where you can catch up with your colleagues and friends. We use Slack, WhatsApp, Zoom and Facetime to name a few - Although be sure not to over do it - you have got to get some work done after all!!

6. Food ‘Glorious’ Food 🍏

I toyed with either an apple or pizza emoji, but let’s face it when we’re at home it’s easy to eat rubbish food. Maintain healthy eating (you’ll feel better for it) and stick to your timings. If you’re able to get to a shop, buy in a haul of healthy snacks and don’t make the mistake of filling your cupboards with treats. If you know they’re there, you’re only a few seconds away from a binge on sweets, cakes and chocolates!

7. Take a break  🕒

It’s easy to get lost in work and before you know it, a whole day can have passed without going outside of giving your eyes a break from the screen. Set reminders in your calendar to get up and move every hour or so.

8. One form of exercise a day (Gov’t guidelines)

One form of exercise a day such as a run, walk, or cycle. This should be done alone or only with people you live with. Or, if you can’t get out the house, head to YouTube for a near unlimited selection of home workouts!

 Last but not least 

9. We are here for you if you need a chat…. 

It’s tough working from home and especially at this time where, as a country we are social distancing or self-isolating, it can be really tough mentally and affect our mental health. So, if anyone is lonely, struggling or fancies having a natter email [email protected] with the subject “Concrete Advice” and we can arrange a time to have a chat.