How to Work from Home Effectively

We know it's tempting to just work in your pyjamas, but try to keep to a routine. Have a shower, look after your hair and skin, get dressed and have breakfast. Getting ready for the day and going for a walk down the street or in the garden will get you into the mind frame of productivity. There are also mental health benefits to getting dressed and ready each day.

Just because you aren't in the office doesn't mean that you are working alone.

Daily video check-ins with your team will help you feel connected and be focused for the day ahead. Make the most of technology and remember you can still collaboratively with others on projects using things like Google Suite, Slack, Microsoft Teams and more.

At Afrocenchix, we like to do our daily check-ins via Google Hangouts and discuss what are we working for the day and if there any dependencies.

Please, please, please take a break from your work and your workspace.

Don't work through lunch: you'll be less productive and more likely to burnout. For a clear head and robust immune system, you need to rest at regular intervals and eat healthy, balanced meals.

Why not share what you're having for lunch with your colleagues? This will remind and encourage them to have a break too. We have a work group chat where the team can drop lunch pics, chat and stay connected in the day.

Now is the time to truly use your calendar.

Block out time in your calendar, so you can plan your day and your colleagues also have full visibility of when you are available for questions and when you are busy or doing deep work and shouldn't be disturbed.

Focused chunks of time are needed for the progress of a key goal (e.g. a website update, a strategy document, a new supply chain spreadsheet, a research report, a blog series or pillar page, a step by step guide).

When working from home it's easy to get sucked into emails. We all need connection and that need can drive us into the trap of responding to urgent seeming but unimportant communications.

Instead, we suggest setting a few short slots in the day to periodically check email and schedule a longer slot at the end of the day to clear things and get back to you team.

We talked about starting the day the right way, but did you know it's important to end your day the right way too?

We find it useful to set a de-brief video call with our team10-15 minutes before the day ends. We use it to talk about wins, struggles and any other business.

Not only is it a good way of wrapping up for the day, but it will also allow you to take stock of the day and even help with planning for the next day.