Mar 20, 2020
These tips for working from home are being mindful that situations can change and are changing in the current Coronavirus crisis.
Therefore working from home isn’t necessarily going to be the same as when other people have been used to work from home. Emma mentions that she can already hear her husband downstairs and is not used to that!
With schools finishing, there are going to be additional things to consider and that is a whole other podcast (so watch out for that).
Some of this podcast was inspired by Fiona Ibbetson's infographic from her company Get Ahead VA it was great to have her on the podcast too to share her ideas and chat about why they are useful from a neurological and psychological perspective.
Write a To-Do List.
On a Friday try to plan the following week, even if then that plan needs to change as the week goes on.
The list writing gets the information out of our head and stops our brain feeling the need to remind us.
Emma talks about how she is seeing the tremendous pressure in business and across HR and so writing things down is a key piece of advice that Emma gives when overwhelm hits. You can get her free download here www.emmalangton.com/overwhelm
Do the Big Job First
Within the plan, ensure that the biggest of most difficult job is planned to be done first each day, so that you are not distracted by that one thing. By getting it out of the way and done first thing in the morning.
The book Eat that Frog talks about the reasons why we need to do the biggest thing first. Often Emma encounters people who like to clear up the little things first and then eventually do the big thing.
In the podcast, Emma explains the reason why it’s not a good plan to leave big things to the end of the day in how your brain functions best. But also we get a sense of achievement early on in the day which is helpful for us.
Time Blocking
Time blocking ensures that you break down your day into different blocks and chunks of time and different activities. For example, Fiona said that usually she would have a day when she is networking or doing 1:1 meetings, although this has now changed and is online.
“We cannot put business on hold, so online is the way to do things”.
Set Up Your Mindset
Setting up our mindset is important and even though it might sounds strange, getting dressed is important. We will not have the same mindset if we’re sat in our pyjamas or sat in bed.
Getting dressed and choosing the environment is absolutely key.
Having a dedicated and clutter clear workspace is helpful for you to keep a clear head too.
Reduce Distractions
Where possible and turn off notifications, but set aside time and a time limit on when we keep up to date with the situation.
Choosing time in the day where you are checking emails or checking for updates is hugely important, not just for productivity and concentration but also because the frequency of updates about the Coronavirus is anxiety raising for a lot of people.
Keep Moving and Take Breaks
Give ourselves the time to move away from work too, perhaps going for walk and reflecting on each day and ensuring you are getting opportunities to keep moving away from the desk or workspace.
Keep Routines
Try to work within our normal working day and Emma explains what happens subconsciously about what happens with routines, structure and boundaries. It also calms down our internal stressed systems about all the uncertainty and change.
Have Clear Boundaries
Clear boundaries mean we set for others what we are doing and what to expect. This could be for customers, clients and also family members that are in the house and workplace with you. The boundaries can be flexible but need to be clear.
Communicate and Connect
Communication is also hugely important, because it’s easy to email people rather than chat or pick up the phone, or have a video call if you need to talk through a problem. We are wired for connected and need to ensure we have that connection.
It’s also helpful when we are able to read body language and hear tone of voice and therefore be more supportive and have clearer understanding of conversations. It also increases our feel-good chemicals when we have positive interactions.
If you have any questions or want some help and support during these challenging times then get in touch with me at emma@emmalangton.com or head over to my website at www.emmalangton.com and you can find the contact page and either send me a email from there or book an appointment straight into my diary.
Stay safe.
