forecourttech April 2020

forecourttech
area in your home where you can set yourself up - ideally
with a properly adjusted desk and chair, similar to your
workplace. Work should be restricted to this space and not
carried over to other areas of the home.
5. Working with children and animals
9. Leave work at work
Don’t allow work to carry over into your home life. Set
yourself a finish time, powerdown your computer, turn off
notifications and allow yourself time to unwind. Stepping
away from work will give you time to refresh ready to tackle
your to do list tomorrow.
Children and animals tend to bulldoze their way through
boundaries. It’s important to remember that this time is
as challenging for them as it is for you. If one of your little
darlings decides to make an appearance on a work video
call, don’t get angry, but do clearly explain why they
should avoid doing this in the future. Equally if a client or
colleague’s children decided to make an appearance, take
it in your stride - next time it could be you.
6. Take regular breaks
You shouldn’t stay glued to your screen all day. It’s important
to take regular screen breaks, get up from your desk
and move around just as you would in an office. Research
has also found that short breaks throughout the day are
more beneficial than less frequent, longer breaks. Many
home workers recommend the Pomodoro Technique, a
method of time management which breaks your working
day into 25 minute chunks. Each chunk is followed by a
five minute break.
7. Get out and about
Working from home shouldn’t mean you stay cooped up indoors
all day. Government restrictions permitting, try to get
get outside and enjoy some fresh air. A different perspective
will also help undo mental blocks and give you a fresh
pair of eyes for any tasks you’re struggling with.
10. Get some sleep
Whilst it is tempting to stay up into the early hours watching
reruns of your favourite shows, it’s important to remember
that sleep is essential for our bodies to repair cells,
clear toxins, consolidate our memories and process information.
There’s good evidence that sleep deprivation can
have major impacts on our health - negatively affecting
our psychological wellbeing concentration and even our
emotional intelligence. Just like our schedules for eating,
working and exercising, it’s important to sustain a regular
sleep routine. For most people, between six to nine hours a
night is sufficient. Going to bed and waking up at a similar
time each day can help maintain a sense of normality, and
help you follow through with plans.
Many people have been struggling to sleep during the
coronavirus lockdown, with #cantsleep regulary trending
on Twitter. Try to avoid napping in the day, remove yourself
from technology before going to bed or if that’s impossible
for you, try to use it to your advantage. Mediatation
apps such as Headspace and Calm can help you drift off
to sleep.
Did we miss anything? Share your own tips for working
from home by tagging @forecourttech on Twitter.
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8. Pick up the phone
With so many communication methods to choose from it
can be easy to hide behind instant messaging and emails,
but having a real conversation with someone outside your
household can help you feel less isolated. Conversations
are also a great way to stimuate your brain and to get
ideas flowing.
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