With many people now working from home because of lockdowns due to COVID-19 - including those who aren’t used to it - we’re sharing some useful habits that we’ve picked up along the way.

We’ve received a few requests from partners about sharing some tips on working from home, as it’s something staff at CRIN have been doing for years. It’s not a practice that gets mastered quickly, however; it’s a changing, ever-evolving thing, and we’re continuing to learn how to do it better. But with nationwide lockdowns to tackle the spread of COVID-19 and many people now working from home - including those who aren’t used to it - we appreciate it may be useful to share some useful habits that we’ve picked up along the way. We hope the list we’ve compiled below is helpful for working from home, staying sane in the process and making the most of the situation. Not all tips will be relevant for everyone - so just pick the advice that works best for you. 

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Starting your day

• Avoid reading the news first thing in the morning (not just in pandemic times). It’s not the same for everyone, but for some of us it severely affects our mental health if we start by reading bad news. Also think before you share such news with others, as they may not want to hear more than they already do on a daily basis.

• You can start by sending a few text messages to friends just to say good morning/ how are you. 

• Begin with meditation or exercise. 

• Get out of your pyjamas. One of us also changes back into something else once they finish work.

• Write a daily to-do list. It helps to keep you focused and aware of the progress you’re making. 

• Find a routine that works for you. Wake up at the same time each day, get dressed and set up your own working space.

• Take advantage of the flexibility of working from home to find the time of day where you are most productive. As long as you’re available for important calls and meetings, the flexibility can be really helpful.

• If you like having the noise of an office while you work, try to replicate the experience of a working day as much as possible. Compensate with something to provide background noise, whether with music, radio, study-with-me vlogs, TV etc. 

The space

• Find a dedicated space to work in, even if it’s unlikely to be a proper desk for lots of people. You can even switch from sitting at the kitchen or dining table to standing at the kitchen worktop or a chest of drawers. If you have outdoor space, wrap up and work for a while from the terrace or garden.  

• If you have limited space in your home, keep your space tidy and put your work away when you finish. 

• Don’t eat at your desk, as it confines you to a single space. Have lunch in another room. 

• Sit near a window if you can, as it helps to avoid feeling cooped up. 

• Get plants and flowers for the house. Bringing outdoor life into your home eases being indoors all day. 

Separate work from home

• Find something to force a break at the end of your working day, whether it’s exercise, cooking, clearing your workspace, calling a friend or whatever works for you. 

• Make sure your weekend and weekdays feel distinct. Separate your workspace from your home life if you have the space to. 

• If you need to work from your personal computer, you can set up a separate user profile so that you can log out at the end of the day and not see all of your work files when you stop working.

• Try to read different books during the week and at weekends.  

Talk to your colleagues

• Keep communicating with colleagues and organise calls where possible instead of relying on emails.

• With more communication forced into emails, there’s the potential for misunderstandings, but assume positive intent behind emails (and try an emoji).

• To help with concentration, try to set times to respond to emails so it doesn’t feel like a continuous distraction.

• Have a day for reading or writing and add it to your calendar so your colleagues know.

• Ask people to ring you if things are urgent.

• Make sure other colleagues are regularly talking to each other. This doesn't mean excessive meetings, it can be a few texts exchanged or just a quick email. Make sure nobody is left out, if need be, you can pair people up to just check in.

• Remember what it’s like to be in the office and that it’s not natural to be chained to your desk. Try to replicate the little interactions you get in an office where you can. 

• If you’re working with other people in your house, you can replicate the accountability you would have in the office by setting aside one room for working in the house or sharing common working hours where possible.

Keep moving

• Take lots and lots of breaks. Since you're not talking to people as regularly, this means you have more time, so take 10/15 minutes every few hours and do some small chores, exercise, the dishes etc.

• Get out of the house once a day for some kind of exercise (if this is still in line with guidance for where you live).

• Take time to make a proper lunch. 

• Take calls standing up or moving around your home. 

• If you can, work in different places in your home. This can help with concentration too. 

Most of all, be kind to yourself. The current situation isn’t normal and it will take some time for people to adjust. There’s more going on than just getting used to working from home, so don’t be too hard on yourself if it’s taking a while to get used to things.