In Focus Commercial Credit
As best as you can, try to keep up your normal office routine while at home. If you typically take a mid-morning coffee break at the office, do it at home — fix yourself a hot drink and use the time to have a brief online catch-up with a colleague
l Keep in contact with colleagues – it can be hard to recognise when you are pushing yourself too hard, especially when there is no-one around to witness your late nights and early morning starts. It can be tempting to duck out of a team call or resist offers of a virtual coffee when you feel overloaded, but these social interactions are key to maintaining a sense of perspective and positive mental wellbeing so try to embrace rather than avoid them. l End the day with an event – schedule an activity that you enjoy for the end of your working day to act as a signal for switching off. Whether you go for a walk, do some yoga or pick up a book, make sure you are out of your workspace and ready for some much-needed relaxation.
Daydreamer While working from home can present great opportunities to eliminate some of the typical distractions we face at the office, for many people, the sudden lack of structure actually inhibits their productivity. If you find yourself adrift while working from home, some of the tips are: l Substitute the commute – give yourself a reason to get out of bed. While you may not
have to rush to catch your train, committing to a quick morning jog or a living-room pilates session can be an effective way to not only get your blood pumping, but also to signal to your brain that it is time to get to work. l Dress for success – when you are not seeing anyone during the day, it can be tempting to stay in your pyjamas or loungewear. But getting dressed for work — even if only into smart casual clothes — can go a long way in helping switch your mindset from relaxation to work and prepare you for the day ahead. l Do not let old habits die – as best as you can, try to keep up your normal office routine while at home. If you typically take a mid-morning coffee break at the office, do it at home — fix yourself a hot drink and use the time to have a brief online catch-up with a colleague. Maintaining even minor daily rituals create continuity for the days when you are working from home. l The deafening silence – if you are used to working in a busy office, you may find the sudden lack of noise and buzz oddly distracting. Playing some music or a news broadcast softly in the background may help cut through the silence of your workspace and help you focus on your work. Just avoid anything that is likely to cause further distraction, like upbeat pop music or a podcast that you like. l Set objectives for yourself – if you find the hours getting away from you, setting personal objectives for what you want to achieve during the day can help keep you on track. You may find it useful to set twice-daily objectives — one set to complete by lunchtime, and another to complete by the end of the working day. This minimises your risk of procrastinating and enables you to prioritise more important tasks for the start of the day. l Respect other people’s time – just because you are at home does not mean there are not people relying on you to pull your weight. Working from home requires a great deal of trust between colleagues, and one way to earn that trust is by respecting other people’s time. Remember that your colleagues and customers have objectives too, and waiting on you to respond to their emails or complete your part of a project impacts their ability to do their work.
June 2020
www.CCRMagazine.com
Unwilling recluse Social butterfly or not, long periods of isolation can bring any one of us down. Whilst work may be getting done, managers and employers must be privy to the fact that prolonged periods of remote working can have an impact on mental health and wellbeing. Do not underestimate the power of small
talk, and stay in touch with furloughed workers and use this opportunity to arrange training and upskilling for them: l Ditch text chat – avoid long, lonely hours staring at a screen by ditching e-mail and chat messages for video and telephone calls for anything that takes more than a couple of messages to explain. Making this your default method for longer conversations will help you to maintain meaningful relationships with your colleagues. l Focus on quality communication – while it is important to keep conversations flowing, avoid initiating conversations for the sake of it as these can be disruptive for others. Virtual coffee breaks can provide a great opportunity for an informal catch up, just make sure to check before you call. l Engage in meetings – you do not have to be an extrovert to be impacted by loneliness. If you normally stay muted on calls, set yourself the challenge of sharing a thought or offering a suggestion, and keep your camera switched on. This will help to boost your concentration and keep you feeling connected with your colleagues. l Get comfortable with quiet: In these strange times, there is no getting away from a certain amount of solitude. Embracing it can help you to re-position your mindset and help you find opportunities to be productive when you have just got yourself for company. If you find silence deafening, put on some white noise or relaxing music. Keep your telephone out of reach and try tackling those tasks that have been on your to-do list for too long. l Help others – we are social creatures and you are definitely not the only one missing the social interactions of office life. Be proactive in providing opportunities for others to engage. Set up a forum on your intranet to get colleagues talking or arrange a virtual quiz. These small actions can make a big difference at a time when many of us are feeling disconnected. CCR
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