Everyone in the UK has been asked to stop non-essential contact with others as Boris Johnson ramps up the response to the coronavirus outbreak. The prime minister urged people to work from home and avoid pubs, clubs and theatres, as well as unnecessary travel.
While working from home – or WFH – is second nature to the well-initiated, it may seem a little daunting to those who haven’t done it before – or those whose homes are filled to the brim with distractions (kids, housemates, building work).
It’s something Lee Chambers, a workplace wellbeing trainer and environmental psychologist, knows a lot about. He consults companies and their employees on how to WFH efficiently, having done it himself and struggled.
So yes, the reality is that working from home is an art, of sorts. How’s best to go about it then? We asked Chambers and HuffPost UK readers who’ve worked remotely for their top tips. Here’s your ultimate guide.
1. Find a space – and claim it.
Choose a designated work space and stick to it, says Chambers. And no, that doesn’t mean your bed. “Design it in a way that feels like a nicely flowing working environment for you,” he says.
For some people, being able to go into a different room and close the door is important as it enables them to feel “psychologically closed off from home”, he adds.
