Ensure you have enough tea to keep a small army going...

[#1]

Like most around the globe, i've now been working from home (WFH) for five weeks. Whilst a challenge at first (working from a breakfast bar all day IS NOT great for your back), common sense prevailed and I bought a desk before all the non-essential shops were shut. Admittedly, a home office was never something I wanted. I'm one of these who likes to leave the office in the office and enjoy my own time when i'm home - you know, for the important stuff, like binge watching Netflix. Anyway...

In more normal times, WFH was usually something I did when I had someone coming to look at something in the house or I was studying, so short term. WFH long term has meant I've needed to change a few WFH habits, i'll list some below:

Keep your routine

• It's really easy to slip into the 'i'll just get this done before I shut down' even though it's waaaaay past your normal end of the day time. Before you know it two hours have magically disappeared and your evening is thrown into disarray because you're now running late for making tea (that's another debate - what do you call tea? Dinner? Supper?...For me, Dinner is lunch and tea is evening meal...)
• Keeping your routine allows you to keep your sense of work / life balance 

Stay away from the kitchen

• Another tip I learnt early on in the new WFH lifestyle. I had to move myself out of the kitchen because everything was within arms reach or a few steps. I'm now upstairs at the opposite end of the house - so I have to make a conscious effort to find snacks
• It's also a good break for getting a drink as I have to leave my 'office' to go and make one. A break away from the laptop screen is always a winner in my eyes

Organise your day

• Has anyone else found that with WFH your calendar / day is filled with virtual meetings? How do you find the time to actually get stuff done?! I've started blocking out my calendar to prioritise time for myself to get my tasks done - there's nothing worse then finishing at the end of the day and not feeling a sense of accomplishment
• Remember to take your lunch break too - it's there for a reason. Go for a walk, read a book, OR if you're like me, REMEMBER TO ACTUALLY OBTAIN FOOD 🤦‍♀️

Keep in touch

• Conversations naturally happen in the office, so when we went remote, I organised two vCatch Up sessions a day for the entire team. There are no rules, you don't have to join them (after all, we're all busy and have other meetings too) but it's a nice chance to take a break from work and just chat (bonus points if the chat is non-COVID-19 related!)
• Find something to break up the day for your team. So far, we've had a bunch of different quizzes and a game of Catchphrase (other ideas welcome! 🤓)

Finally and most importantly, ensure you have enough tea to keep a small army going

• ⚠ Disclaimer: I'm British and a cup of tea is everything
• Having a bad day? Cup of tea. Tired? Cup of tea. Hungry because you forgot to get your lunch on your lunch break? Cup of tea. Bored? Cup of tea.
• Tea makes everything better ☕

So there we have it, a few of my tips for WFH. What are your top tips? What are you watching on Netflix? Tea, Dinner or Supper?

[Esme Crutchley]

Hi @Helen Griffiths {Capgemini} 

Congrats on your first article, it's awesome!

I love how you've split it up into bite-size chunks of advice, it's so easy to read and well written!

I too am British (Plymouth), however, I haven't had a cuppa since about 2005!

I am now fueled by coffee!

For us, at least in our house, dinner is tea and lunch is lunch!

[Helen Griffiths {Capgemini}]

Thanks @Esme Crutchley 😊

This was me about 30mins ago after my first brew of the day...