HEALTH
SETTING BOUNDARIES
Working from home can be difficult if you’re constantly faced with distractions. So it’s important that other members of your household respect your needs when you’re working.
Try talking to your family or the people you share your home with about how they can help by giving you quiet time, especially if you have deadlines to work to. If it helps, share your work schedule with them, so they can see when they should try not to disturb you.
When you work from home it’s also easy to stay logged on outside office hours. So set boundaries with your employer, and work colleagues too, and switch off completely when your day is over.
KEEPING TO A ROUTINE
Having a set routine can help prevent the lines between your work and personal life becoming blurred. Here are some ways to help maintain a healthy balance:
• Start work at the same time each day and always take regular breaks throughout the day, including a lunch break.
• Try to make sure your work area is as free as possible from distractions.
• Set clear tasks for each day and prioritise them, so that the most important tasks get done first.
• Stop working when it’s time to finish your working day – shut down your computer, ignore any late incoming emails until tomorrow and start focusing on your home and family life.
LOOKING AFTER YOUR VOICE
Depending on what job you do, you may find yourself talking on the phone a lot more when you’re working from home. Here’s how to keep your vocal chords healthy:
• Drink plenty of fluids – aim for at least eight glasses a day.
• Avoid alcohol and caffeine, as they can have a drying effect on your voice.
• Try to avoid speaking too loudly.
• Also try to avoid clearing your throat repeatedly – try drinking some water or sucking a sugar-free sweet instead.
• Practise ways of relaxing, as tension in your body can affect your voice too.
DID YOU KNOW?
Remote workers tend to work longer hours than office workers, so managing your time when you’re working at home is important3
.
Because of the coronavirus outbreak many people are enjoying the benefits of working from home, with 53% of us happy at not having to commute and 38% finding more time to do household chores.
Only 33% of us miss having face-to-face meetings while many have learnt new skills to stay connected, such as setting up video calls2
. S M A R T S T A T
Before the coronavirus outbreak, around
1.7 million .
people in the UK said they worked mainly from home1
1. Office for National Statistics 2. OnePoll survey April 2020 commissioned by O2 3. American Psychological Association
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