Balancing your personal and professional life can be difficult for many people. With so many different responsibilities it’s hard to keep on top of your workload and your wellbeing without sacrificing one or the other. In this blog, I’m sharing some top tips on how to master working from home!

There are many benefits of working from home: Flexible hours, no commute, and the ability to work from anywhere in the world. However, the change from working in an office, to hybrid or even remote work can be tough. For a lot of people (me included!), we’ve never known anything different to hybrid/remote corporate work and that can cause a lot of different emotions. People commonly experience a loss of motivation, excessive stress, overwhelm, and more. I personally felt quite uncertain about the change to hybrid work that started during the third month of my placement at ProspectSoft.

It’s important to know what you can do to improve not only your work but also your mental well-being. I hope these tips can help you balance your responsibilities, take care of yourself, and feel more prepared to take on your role!

1. Starting your day
Morning is the most important time of day when you’re working from home. It sets the tone for not only your day, but the quality of your work as well. Having the same morning routine – whether you’re leaving the house to go to work or not, is a great way to prepare yourself for the day ahead.

2. Stick to a Routine
Like the tip above, this centres around sticking to a constant routine. Starting and ending your day at the same time is key in this, as well as making time to take regular breaks to move around or stretch. A routine to wind down is also essential when creating a plan for the day so that you avoid burnout.

3. Separate Work from Home
Particularly at the end of the day, make sure you’re setting a clear boundary between work and home. This is really difficult when you don’t have a commute to split up your day, but it’s still possible! Try to finish work on time, pack everything away, and take a minute to switch off your brain.

4. Limit your Distractions
Identify what could potentially distract during your workday like your phone, the TV, other people etc. Use an app blocker to minimise digital distractions, find a quiet place to work, and let others know what your schedule is to help them be mindful of your commitments. Keeping distractions at bay will also increase the quality of your work.

5. Take Breaks
Despite what it sounds like, more breaks can actually help you be productive for longer periods of time. Using something like the Pomodoro technique, where you work for 25 minutes and take a 5-minute break, lets you focus intensely and then take a step back to take a walk, stretch, or rest your eyes. That way, you can come back to work with a more balanced mindset and healthier work ethic.

6. Keep in Touch
Luckily, we have plenty of ways to keep us connected to our colleagues. Using Microsoft Teams to talk to my fellow placements is particularly useful for feeling less isolated whilst at work. If you haven’t heard from someone in a while, try checking in – they’ll probably really appreciate the gesture!

7. Manage Deadlines
Keeping on top of your workload is essential, but easier said than done. Using lists makes each large task much easier, try breaking each task down until it’s manageable. Using my calendar in Microsoft Outlook is useful to keep track of meetings, tasks, deadlines, and repeating commitments.

8. Take Care of Yourself
If like me, you struggle to make time for yourself – try scheduling it in! Block out even 5 minutes of the day and only use that time to do something for yourself. If I can’t get outside until later in the day, just making a cup of tea and sitting by an open window can be enough to give my mind a break. Try doing something that helps you relax, like going for a walk, reading a book, or spending time with your friends and family.

Remote work is a great way to work on your own terms and manage your time independently. Make sure to put yourself first by utilising a balanced approach to work and taking breaks when you need them. I hope that by sticking to the tips I’ve given in this article, you too can thrive in the remote work model!

If you’re struggling with working from home, support is out there. Find more support about remote working here, or talk to someone you trust about how you’re feeling. If you need urgent support call 999 or go to A&E. Remember, you’re not alone!