So, you’re working from home, which means an extra few minutes in bed, pyjamas and maximum sofa time, right? Nope, nope, nope. Although that sounds great and undeniably tempting, you need to treat it as another day in the office.

You need to get through that list of to-dos and keep in mind that this is a workday! It’s easier said than done, so we’ve put together a few of our top tips to ensure that you stay focused on your work, rather than Netflix.

1. Suss out a workspace

Now, we know you’re edging towards your sofa, but we both know that things aren’t going to get done whilst watching your fave series. It’s really important to set up a constructive workspace where you know you can concentrate and get your work done well.

Make sure you’re comfortable, working in a tidy environment (tidy desk, tidy mind) and have the ability to close the door behind you, if others are around.
This is your office for the day, week, month etc, so you need to be able avoid others distracting you when you’re on a roll!

2. Dress to impress

As glorious as it would be, don’t stay in your pyjamas, not even for the morning. What you’re wearing really does have an effect on how you feel and your attitude towards the day. I feel far more productive when I’m dressed and feel confident to face the tasks ahead. It sets you up nicely for the day and I look at it as the first thing I’ve accomplished, ready to tick off some more of my to-dos.

Go about your morning routine as if you were going to work to get yourself into the psychological mindset for your work.

It also means you avoid any awkward Skype calls whilst wearing your giraffe onsie…

3. Limit those distractions

‘I’ll just watch one episode’; ‘I’m just going to finish that chapter’; ‘Yeah, pop round for a coffee’. It’s so easy to get distracted at home by anything, from the TV and napping, to books and people. If you’re one of those that tend to procrastinate or gets easily distracted, avoid, avoid, avoid.

If working from home is a regular thing, reiterate to friends and family that you are working and no you can’t spare a minute for an errand. This is your job, you have stuff to get done and projects to smash.

4. Don’t forget to take a break or finish!

It’s just as easy to power through until the end of the day and forget to take a break, as it is to get distracted. Taking a few breaks during the day will increase your productivity and decrease your stress levels. It’s also important for your health! Ensure you’re hydrating your body throughout the day and don’t miss out on a nutritious lunch or snack! Although, we won’t judge if you raid the biscuit barrel once or twice 😉

Do whatever that works best for you, whether that’s a breath of fresh air or a catch-up on some TV; just make sure you take a break from whatever work you may be doing.

5. Keep in communication

When working from home it’s important to make sure you keep in comms with relevant colleagues and clients. Ensure that you have everything that you need; notepads, print outs and contact numbers, just in case you can’t get hold of them via email.

When you’re not in the office you need to make a conscious effort of getting in contact with relevant colleagues when necessary. At the end of the day it may be worth sending them an email summarising any updates or issues.

We hope these help and if you’re reading this whilst working from home, still in you PJs, we forgive you, just make sure you start afresh tomorrow! You’ll get into the swing of things, just make sure you treat it like any other school day!