Make working from home, work for you

Keep set working hours
A simple rule like starting at exactly 9am is a great way to flip into work mode without the option of procrastinating and feeling terrible by 10am

Schedule your workday
Give yourself an outline for each day so that you can help draw some boundaries between work and life - and be dynamic enough to adjust as you day goes on

Keep a morning routine
Your normal habits are more important that usual, so give yourself time to do some things that are important to you, before the workday begins

Have an agreement with your household
Save yourself a whole lot of misunderstanding by setting rules about, where, when and how you work in your home

Make sure you take your breaks
Just because you can always work doesn’t mean you should - so protect your morning, lunch, and afternoon breaks

Get out if you can
It’s easy to go crazy if you don’t leave your home - so get out for a walk, run, or ride and clear your mind and exercise your body

Get exercise if you can’t
If COVID-19 means your in self-isolation you can still do things like yoga or a 7-minute workout to get the blood pumping

Have a work space
It’s going to be a whole lot easier if you can set up a space that you just use for work - for you and for everyone else in your home

The internet is your friend and your enemy
It’s both an amazingly productive work and communication tool - it’s also a source of infinite distraction that makes the edges between work and play very slippery

Use music or podcasts to get in the zone
Be strategic about what you feed your ears to focus on deep work, or entertain you when your doing stuff that’s less interesting

Be kind to yourself
You will have good days where you feel great and perfectly blend work and life but don’t beat yourself up when it goes wrong - learn and regroup

It’s OK to close the door
Your family knows you still love them even if you need some space to work - it also help signal that your in work-mode

Keep the right food in your home
In any given week, you will get hungry enough to eat anything that’s around - so be sure to set yourself up with healthier options

Pimp it (get great headphones, chair, etc)
If it helps you work spoil yourself with things that help you focus and get things done - you deserve it

Be ready to videoconference
Make sure you have a place that’s well-lit and free of clutter that reflects you as a professional

Dress like it matters (it does matter)
Getting dressed is a signal that work is about to happen - plus people know pajamas on a video call when they see it

Check in with your team
Not everything should be an email or a message - a two minute call save ten emails are reestablish a positive connection

Claim it on your tax
Working from home means bigger expenses for you - so make sure you’re employer isn’t getting a better deal than you are

Double up on things
Lots of people find it easier to have devices like laptops and phones that are totally setup and devoted to work - your employer should provide these

Stay social
It’s important to have ways to keep the fun non-work stuff happening - from football talk to your film recommendations - Slack is a good starting point

Do the hard things first
You’re going to feel a lot better by attacking the big thing when your energy is best - you’ll be easier to live with too

Stay ergonomic
It’s easy to work in places that twist your body into unhealthy shapes - like working on the sofa too long - be mindful of this and adjust before you injure yourself

Share your style
Your colleague can’t read you mind - so let them know, for instance, if you want to schedule meetings for the end of the day so you can focus in the morning

Keep trust
Acknowledge emails and inputs in a timely manner so that people develop trust that you are really working - but avoid letting these distract you unnecessarily

Take sick days
Just because you can pump out some easy work when you’re ill doesn’t mean you should - respect yourself enough to taking a break and recovering properly

Stay positive
Be sure you celebrate your wins and don’t focus too hard on the things that are not working - and know you can learn and improve

You can do you chores (washing, cooking)
It’s OK to spend your break time doing a load of laundry and keeping your personal life ticking over - just be clear to yourself that your switching modes

Have a shutdown sequence
Find ways to leave work psychologically - a short walk, a game of solitaire or your favorite blog can be an effective bridge from work

Find what works for you
You will have some tough days but keep adjusting things until you find what works best for you - you’ll get better and you have flexibility to change it up

Maybe look for a better job
It’s always a good idea to reflect if your current gig is working for you - and if it’s not your home is going to be a very negative place for everyone

Learn something new
Berghs runs a whole lot of online courses in all areas of communication - in both Swedish and in English - it’s the perfect time to upgrade your skills