The situation the world is facing at the moment is entirely unprecedented. Not only is it one of just a handful of global pandemics, but it’s the first where we have the technology and connectivity for a large proportion of the workforce to truly work from home.

However, for many of us who aren’t used to it, working from home is a bit more challenging than we might have originally thought. Even for those of us who are self-motivated, staying focused and sane can still be an issue. For those who aren’t, getting into a productive routine is a challenge in itself.

To try and help, we have put together our five top tips for working from home – we hope they help!

Get Up and Get Dressed!

For the vast majority of us, working from home is weird. I almost feel like I’m breaking the rules by getting up half an hour later only to end up sitting in my living room at my makeshift desk. The trick is, you need to make it as ‘formal’ as possible.

This means getting up, getting dressed, and sitting down at your desk ready for the day ahead by 9am – stick to your regular schedule as closely as possible, minus the commute!

Get Outside Your House

One of the toughest things about working from home to combat a pandemic, is that there is very little respite. You can’t work at home all day then go to the cinema, a restaurant, or even a friend’s at night. It’s the perfect storm for getting a bit of cabin fever.

That’s why it’s important to get outside, so long as you are being responsible. A potter around in the garden, a lunchtime run, or just a walk around the block means you can get a break from being stuck in the house without breaking the rules of the lockdown!

Set Up a Proper Workspace

People work in different ways, and it might be tempting to set up your workspace in the comfiest possible place. However, working from your bed or lying down on the sofa probably isn’t the best idea for productivity, and the occasional nap is inevitable, accidental or otherwise!

The fact is, we might be working from home for longer than we’d like to think. At minimum, we probably have at minimum another month or so before testing can begin and the lockdown can start to be slowly and gradually lifted. So if you don’t have a desk at home, it’s time to come up with a makeshift substitute!

Want some inspiration? Take a look at some of the Red team’s efforts.

Stay Connected

When working from home, it’s not just important to keep in touch with your team for productivity, but also for your sanity. Working from home under normal circumstances isn’t an issue – you can still meet friends and go out at night for social stimulus, but under lockdown that isn’t the case.

So schedule regular chats with your colleagues so you don’t end up going stir crazy. At Red, we have our regular morning meeting at 9am through a video chat, share the odd relevant article or creative meme, and have even organised a makeshift pub quiz next week!

Take a Break!

When you’re working from home, taking breaks isn’t as regimented as it is at work. You don’t have a specific lunchtime, per se. You don’t have the little chats while making teas and coffees. You don’t have the few minutes here and there where the whole office stops to have a laugh or discuss something non-work related.

This can make work become overwhelming and will eventually grind you down, ultimately affecting your productivity. Make sure to take a break for lunch, and if you need to take five minutes for a coffee or just to get away from your computer, you aren’t breaking the rules. In short, if you wouldn’t feel guilty for it in the office, don’t feel guilty about it at home!

And there we have it, five tips to make sure that you aren’t just a productive home worker, but a happy home worker. Keep in mind that eventually, whether it’s one month, six weeks, two months or longer, we will eventually be back doing our daily commutes to our offices – so try and make the most of this, admittedly odd, situation!