Coronavirus is forcing organisations to rapidly change and adapt to new disciplines and business models. Amongst the most significant of these is home working.
In a new weekly feature, we’ll be providing topical tips and advice from Team Managers and Advisors on the Sensée frontline to help organisations make a success of home working. We hope you find them useful.
How do you separate your home and work life…..
“Journey to work is not just a physical distance to travel but a mental one too. Allow enough time before your shift to prepare for the day ahead.”
Jennifer, Sensée Services Adviser
…… organise your workspace?
“Make sure your office area is a nice place to work. Decorate with bright colours, flowers etc. You are spending a lot of time there so it needs to be bright and comfortable.”
Bev, Sensée Services Adviser
…… maintain your health and fitness?
“Even though I work from home I still ‘walk to work’. So I leave my front door every morning – which ensures no jimjams – and take a brisk mile or two walk around the block. I then arrive at work oxygenated and ready to rock.”
Nick, Sensée Services Adviser
…… not end up snacking all day!?
“Bring snacks! There is nobody else in the ‘office’ to steal them!”
Ryan, Sensée Services Adviser
…… motivate yourself?
“If you are honest, with a good work ethic, then home working will pose no issues. If you use work for ‘social’ then you may struggle. So ensure you are part of chat groups to keep up with news, gossip etc.”
Sharon, Sensée Services Adviser
…… optimise your working environment?
“Have plants in the office. I have a venus flytrap called Audrey. Taking care of her is part of my daily routine.”
Janet, Sensée Services Adviser
…… improve your work-life-balance?
“I have a separate desk in a separate room in a quiet part of the house. I get up, get showered, dressed and put on a wee bit of make-up (can’t do anything without my lippy!). I leave the kitchen after brekki and off to the office. Blu tack a ‘do not enter’ sign to the office door (important to let the family know my shifts and my breaks so they are respectful and quiet whilst I’m on shift). When it’s time for a break I am pretty much guaranteed they’ll meet me in the kitchen with a coffee and a toastie. A tik tok dance with my daughter ensures I definitely switch off for a wee while at lunchtime!”
Alison, Sensée Services Adviser
…… manage distractions?
“If you now find yourself with other family members in the house, work out a solution for internet access that won’t interfere with your work. We are using an old android phone as a wifi hotspot with a pay-as-you-go SIM. It gives my son sufficient broadband to do his school work and video chat with his friends.”
Denise, Sensée Services Adviser
…… decide what to wear?
“I look in the wardrobe for something that speaks to me.”
Gill, Sensée Services Adviser
…… and what do you do during your breaks, and at lunch?
“Breaks are a great time to fit in the household chores that you usually save up all week. Hoovering, preparing the tea…. anything really so that when you finish work you have nothing to do. It makes you organise your free time more effectively.”
Zoe, Sensée Services Adviser
MORE TIPS TO FOLLOW NEXT WEEK!