Working from home

[autumnisnear]

I got my first working from home job today, Monday to Friday but I'm really nervous. Any tips on what I can do to enjoy working from home?

If possible have some quiet music on in the background. Otherwise I tend to end up speaking to myself most the day.

Do you find it difficult or lonely?

Regular breaks including lunch hour.
You wouldn't sit chained to your desk in an office so don't at home.
Get some fresh air and into the sunshine each day.
Ensure you arrange to see humans regularly as the lack of contact can be an issue.
Get a good set up with a good desk and chair, extra screens and wireless headset keyboard and mouse. Think about lighting too for your well being and being on camera.

Its not harder then doing a job in an office but there are pros and cons and it can be a bit isolating but it very much depends on your personality.

I do four days at home and one in an office. I really enjoy that mix. I tend to have some contact with others on school run etc on the other days.

I don't find it lonely, because my role involves speaking with people and I often have to visit various locations, but I can imagine it can get lonely. I make a point of regularly calling colleagues, so just for a chat and update.

For me, it's not the loneliness, it's the cabin fever. If it wasn't for the school run, I wouldn't have a reason to leave my home and I feel like I'm climbing the walls, at times. A trip to the supermarket is sometimes the highlight of my day.

My tip is to have a decent workstation set up, which doesn't invade your home life. Even if you have to work from your kitchen table, make sure you can pack it all away at the end of that day. I cleared a space in a cupboard where I could keep my laptop and other equipment.

Doing washing which I hang up on my breaks
being able to eat a nice healthy lunch - I do 30min walk 30 min lunch for my 1hr lunch break

Make sure you finish on time! Tempting sometimes just to do abit more but try
to have a fixed routine

I start a bit earlier (no commute makes it easier) then eat lunch during a little break and then pop to the gym during my ‘proper’ lunch break. I find it breaks the day up, means I have a bit of human interaction, and the gym is nicer mid day as it’s a bit quieter.

On other days I’ll put the washing out, take a little walk etc…. It’s all in my work calendar, which helps me make sure I take breaks from the screen (and no one puts other meetings in!)

I find I’m less productive if I don’t have real breaks during the day so my manager encourages my trips to the gym…. It’s a win-win.

What I will say is I’m a true introvert…. I LOVE sitting in silence working away, I do not miss the radio we had in the office at all. Working from home gives you the ability to know what you need to work well - some people need background sounds others don’t, but you get to pick!!

Thank you all, this is really helpful

Stick to your hours and make sure you take your breaks. Get to know colleagues if the job allows it.

If you can, take over a room. We have no dining room now, but it means I have a proper space to work in. Decent desk and chair. Definitely extra monitor (or two if you need it). If you live with other people, establish ground rules - my main one is that if you can hear music, I can be disturbed. If you can't, I'm in a lesson.

I get up early enough to do some chores like put a wash on, have coffee and log on in plenty of time. My computer is set to sleep at 5.10pm. I have fixed breaks and join family (husband retired, two adult sons WFH) for most of them. I have a proper lunch every day but no snacks. A year of WFH snacking has had consequences.

Also little things - have everything you need on your desk - a charger, coaster for mug or water bottle, stationery etc. I wasn't thrilled about it to start with, but now I wouldn't go back and neither would my kids - they have kitted out the cellar which had been a store/gaming room. The rest of the house looks normal. As pp said, if you don't have the luxury of a separate space, at least shut it away somehow.

If possible, work facing a window. It’s important to rest your eyes by regularly looking long distance if you’re staring at a screen for long periods of time anyway, but I also find it’s a nice quick break. If your job allows it, take advantage of the flexibility - I sometimes start at 8 so I finish at 4.30, I often don’t bother drying my hair, I’ll pop to the shop at any random part of the day if I want to (making sure I do my hours). Also find other ways to connect with colleagues - we have a drop-in session on Teams once a week which is just for chat - no work discussion allowed!

@autumnisnear I find it isolating. I rarely talk to my co workers, we usually correspond by email. And I do not have phone calls coming to my home, my coworkers take the phone calls as my work phone decided it wasnt going to work and my boss decided not to replace it.

We started wfh during lockdown 1. Now my boss has sold the premises and everyone works from their own homes.