There are plenty of reasons to want to work from home. It allows people to work in a more flexible manner during hours that suit them better, and you no longer have to squeeze onto the train with the rest of the commuters every morning.
Because you can create the kind of environment that suits you, working from home can be an excellent choice. There can be fewer distractions at home, and with advances in technology making it easier to communicate when you are out of the office, attending meetings and staying connected. Creating a suitable working environment is essential, but when it comes to completing your work here are a few ideas to get things done.
1. Stick to your schedule
Discuss your working pattern with your supervisor and agree to start and finishing times, as well as when you will take your lunch break. It’s important to stick to it as much as possible. Develop a schedule. Even though it’s tempting to set the alarm five minutes before your day starts and eat breakfast at your desk, you will be much more focussed if you have a ritual for getting ready for work, like a short walk, a session at the gym or breakfast with your family. It’s a nicer way to start the day than with a commute, so make the most of it.
2. Leave the house during your lunch break
People who work from home tend to move around a lot less than those who go the office, so it’s important to step away from your desk a few a times a day. Even if you eat lunch at home, make sure you allow enough time to also get outside too. The longer you sit at your desk without a break, the less productive you will be and getting out and about is a great pause.
3. Get in touch with the office as much as possible
Communication is one of the cornerstones of working from home. It’s important to remind the team that you are still involved and interested in what is going on. Companies like Enterprise who offer jobs where you can work from home will have processes in place, but making that extra effort will ensure that you don’t miss any important memos and remind people that you are working and available.
4. Don’t miss meetings
Although you work from home there will be times when going into the office is inevitable. Make the most of these by not only attending the meetings, but scheduling some face to face time with your boss and catching up with your team. Strong connections to your colleagues in the office will make not being there easier, so it’s worth investing the extra time.
5. Get sick
If you’re feeling so poorly that you wouldn’t go into the office, take the day off. Just because your desk is right next to you that doesn’t mean you’ll be productive. Stay in bed and recover rather than prolong your illness.
6. Keep things separate
If you can have a different computer, phone line and internet connection for work so that it doesn’t intrude on your home life. Stick to the hours you’re due to work unless you’ve agreed overtime. On the other hand, make sure that you don’t get distracted by family or friends – let them know under which circumstances it is okay to interrupt you. The biggest challenge is maintaining a divide between home and work, so be strict.
If you think you could work from home but haven’t found the right role yet have a look at the current opportunities available with Enterprise – there are a number of home-based roles available.
