Recently updated on October 6th, 2022 at 03:07 pm
Working from home, before just a few short weeks ago, was the kind of fantasy many dreamed about but never thought they would get to experience for real. The idea of waking up, doing a short commute to the spare bedroom, home office or the kitchen table, wearing what we want whilst still having time to do household jobs – dreamy.
As we have all since discovered however, working from home is not without its challenges. Our productivity, creativity and will power not to eat snacks all day long are, right now, being put to the test. Just like lots of you reading this, many of our Trafalgar teams across the globe are currently working from home in accordance with social distancing rules. We, like you, are adapting to this new way of working, and as such we wanted to share our tips for working from home.
Irina, Performance Marketing Manager
A cold shower and a little 15-minute yoga session in the morning helps to wake me up and get me focused for the day. I then make sure to write down my to-dos and have a celebratory snack after I complete each item. Also, make sure to take your vitamins – keeping your immune system strong right now is super important.
Kelsey, Social Media Executive
I regularly switch up where I’m sitting in my apartment, such as the desk/the sofa/a chair in the bedroom. I know other people find that creating a designated working space helps for them, but I feel more productive with a change of scenery. Putting a podcast or the radio on in the background also helps, so I can hear other human voices. I’m also making sure that I’m taking a proper break at lunch time to cook something I will look forward to throughout the morning. Oh, and having the window’s open, so I don’t forget that there is still a real world outside.
Ginny, Head of Digital Engagement
Creating a morning routine definitely means I start my day off on the right note. This could be doing 20 minutes of yoga, a HIIT workout on YouTube, or a light clean of the house before I sit down to work. I’m lucky to have a home office to work from, but I still like to ensure that my apartment is clean and tidy before I start work. Lots of clutter to me = added stress, which is something we can all do without right now. I’m also spending time in the garden in bursts throughout the day, and have started reading in the evenings as opposed to watching the television. I feel like we’re all having so much screen time right now, it’s nice to be able to switch off and engage my brain in a different way.
Gemma, Marketing and Campaigns Manager
With my positive thinking hat on, the pros to working from home are that I can sleep in slightly longer, I don’t have to put make-up on and I get to wear stretchy pants to work! I Facetime my family back home in Australia during my lunchbreak to check in with them and get some “face time”, which also means I take a proper lunch break. I’m also just starting to use tomato-timer.com, which helps you work in 25 minute bursts so you can focus on one task at a time.
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Cat, Senior Digital Marketing Executive
Not so much a working from home tip but more some advice – make the most of being at home with your pets. Give them some love as they’re not used to having you around during the day, so it might feel a bit weird for them. Having intermittent cuddles or play sessions throughout the day will give you the boost you need to smash your daily tasks. Pets = Productivity!
Mia, Head of Campaigns
I’ve been working from home for the past two weeks and have found beauty in a bit of consistency, so standing on the Shakti mat for 5 minutes or doing morning stretches helps to get the body working. I’ll then make sure I’m eating a really good home cooked breakfast and lunch, and not falling into the trap of sleeping in just because I don’t have to commute. Opening the windows and sitting in the sunshine helps to boost my mood, and I’m also ensuring that I work in 30 minute interments, then walking to the fridge or bathroom instead of just checking the news. I’ve tried to limit my news intake to certain increments otherwise it’s really negative, so have been trying to offset this with something positive after. Also, music and podcasts are helping me through! I highly recommend Laid Back Indie or Seratonin playlists on Spotify. Finally, our morning team video calls are giving me life! I’m loving seeing everyone’s smiling faces, in their stretch pants and make up free. It’s really freeing in all the crazy!
Working from home may be challenging at times, but it is also vitally important as each of us plays our part in helping to stop the spread of COVID-19. If are, like us, have found yourself in this new way of working, please share your productivity tips and tricks in the comments below. Our community, and our Trafalgar team, would love to hear them!