So many more people are now working from home during lockdown. But its hard to be productive when you have so many more distractions. You need to find a way to separate your home and office life. If you’re planning on setting up a home office these tips might help.

Get Kitted Out

Companies like Racking2go have an extensive range of home office furniture if you don’t have what you need already. Whatever you do don’t compromise when it comes to buying an office chair, you want a chair that supports your back and promotes good posture. Although some companies have allowed staff to office items home with them to make it easier to set up. Check with your company to see if they are willing to let you do the same.

Take Care Of Yourself

Home working can take its toll on mental health. Remote work is very isolating you can soon miss those office interactions. It’s good that some companies have set up “virtual coffee breaks”, where staff can chat to each other during downtime. If your manager has not considered something like this perhaps raise it during your next catch-up call.

Clear Boundaries

You need to dedicate a section of your home just for working. Setting up your home office is not quite the same as just hunching over your laptop on the sofa with the TV on in the background. You need to have a proper space to get the privacy and comfort to work.

Not everyone has the luxury of a spare room to turn into a home office. So here are a few ideas to try instead, how about utilizing the landing or if you have any space under your stairs consider using that. Add your desk and chair and away you go! You want to avoid the high traffic areas of the house.

I currently use a corner of the dining table as the boys are keener on the living rooms. So, it will give you enough peace to work whilst they watch one of the educational BBC science shows on TV. My husband when he very occasionally works from home has to make do with the pantry!

Natural Light

But ideally whatever space you utilize its better if your closer to a window. Lighting and productivity go hand in hand. Apparently, people have been found to work harder in lighter rooms, so if you can choose a location of the house that is bright enough for you to work then your more likely to meet all your deadlines!

Get Rid Of Clutter

Have a proper clear out before you start working from home. Clutter can be very off-putting. You can soon lose focus. I need to listen to my own advice as looking around the dining table I currently have play-dough for a science project, a reading book, a newspaper, a top hat (random I know!), and some review items, among other things. I know I work much more productively when I have less distractions around me. But it’s even harder achieving that when you have children at home.

Add Some Plants

Apparently, plants can improve productivity and job satisfaction. So, if you are finding the change to remote working hard, pick up a few plants. Hopefully then you can complete your work quicker and get back to sorting out the family.

I have worked from home for quite a few years now and although challenging once you get yourself into a routine you can soon begin to enjoy it. Admittedly its harder now the boys are at home too, but we manage to juggle it somehow. Lockdown won’t last forever.