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Be productive when working from home this winter

When we started to work from home in March last year we thought it would be a temporary measure. But 10 months on we are still doing everything possible to keep safe and remain indoors to protect our families, neighbours and key workers.

Although working from home has its benefits – a much shorter commute from bed to desk is one that springs to mind – it can be a testing time.

Here in Chapelton, we’ve pulled together some top tips to help you make the most of working from home in 2021.

Make sure you have a dedicated work space

It’s important that while you are working from home you have space to focus. Having a dedicated space helps you switch on at the beginning of the day and get into a productive mindset. A steady and reliable internet connection will help you make the most of virtual catch ups and keep on top of your workload. In Chapelton every home has fibre right into the interior of the home, meaning that residents are able to access the fastest available connectivity.

Set boundaries

With the laptop just a reach away, it can be tempting to work out of hours and answer just one more email. It’s important to set boundaries with colleagues and have clear switch off times so that you can catch up with your family or relax with your favourite hobby. Try and tidy your laptop away in the evenings and weekends so you can make the most of “you” time.

Get outdoors

We know – no-one wants to go outside on a wet and cold winter evening. Try and swap your evening walk for a lunchtime stroll to make sure you are getting some daylight and exercise into your day. The Chapelton trail starts at the heart of the town in Hume Square, and is the ideal length for a run or a good dog walk.

Or.. let the outdoors in!

Add some more greenery to your home this winter and invest in some plants to bring the outdoors to you. Plants can reduce stress and help mental health, as well as giving keen gardeners their green finger fix.

Plan ahead

While there isn’t much to do at the moment, with cafes, restaurants and cinemas closed, having plans with friends or family can make a week of work fly by. Whether that be a socially distanced walk with a friend, a delicious takeaway from Teacake, or a fancy meal on a Saturday night, having something to work towards will help you relax.

Five Ways to Get the Most out of Working from Home

Working from home, whether by choice or necessity, is a growing part of modern life. Chapelton has great digital infrastructure, including superfast broadband, making it ideal for home working, but that doesn’t mean the transition from office to house is an easy one.

To help you get the most out of your new work setup we have put together some useful tips.

Keep your routine

One of the easiest things to do when you’re new to working from home is to let your routine slip. It can be very tempting to stay in bed until 8:55, take the chance to wear pyjamas to work or push breakfast back to mid-morning. While these things can be appealing, especially at first, they can throw you off mentally. Keeping your routine as normal as possible helps productivity and keeps you in the swing of things.

Plan, plan, plan

At the start of every day set out a plan of what tasks you need to complete for the day. Setting goals is a good idea regardless of where you’re working but is especially important at home with all the extra distractions. Doing this can also stop work pilling up and saves you time and stress in the long run.

Set up a dedicated space

If you can, try to allocate a part of your home to work. This doesn’t need to be a home office or involve redecorating a spare room, just a specific place you plan to work. Whether it’s a dining table or a living room chair, keeping everything in the one place helps you be on top of things and in the right mindset.

Pick up the phone

One of the hardest things about working from home can be the lack of social interaction. It is sometimes easy to forget the value of a quick chat while making a cup of tea or even just talking to your desk mate. Picking up the phone, or using a video chat, rather than relying on emails is a great way to keep in touch with others.

Boundaries and breaks

Many people find that they actually end up working longer hours from home than they would in the office. When the boundary between work life and home life is blurred it can be easy to not take your full lunch break or carry on checking emails well beyond finishing time. Scheduling in regular breaks and trying to be disciplined about start and finish times can help you keep a work-life balance in your new office.

A Guide to Creating the Perfect at Home Office Space

With the boundaries between the workplace and home life continuing to blur, now more than ever people are making the most of ‘working from home’.

For many, this means plenty of positives including no commuting, a lower carbon footprint, increased productivity and, often most importantly, the opportunity to enjoy personal space.

As a bustling community and the first large development in Scotland to secure fibre broadband to home, Chapelton is equipped to support its residents who want to shift their work-life balance and spend more time at home.

Here, we provide our top tips on how to create the perfect at home office space.

Identify an unused area

The first step in creating an ideal at home office is finding the perfect space. An office doesn’t need to be large and can be a spare room, the corner of a bedroom or living room or an unused nook.

Think about where you feel comfortable but also be conscious of setting boundaries. Without a commute give consideration to establishing boundaries so that others in the house know not to interrupt you but also so that when you’re done for the day you can close the door and leave work behind.

home-office-1575464_1920-1024x681 A Guide to Creating the Perfect at Home Office Space

Make the most of small spaces

For those that don’t have an entire room dedicated to an office, it’s important to think about how to make the most of even the smallest of spaces.

Console tables can function as a working place but are often smaller than traditional bulky desks, whilst wall shelves can provide storage solutions for files, books and technology.

Experiment with ambience

Aspects such as lighting, heat and sound can all have an impact on productivity levels. Experiment with different lighting including dimmed lamps and candles, music to set the tone and temperature.

Background music, which can be as loud or a soft as you like, is proven to deliver clear work benefits including improved accuracy and an increase in productivity as well as relaxation.

Tame clutter

Nothing makes a home office look and feel more cluttered than wires hanging from desks or paperwork scattered across the room. Invest in storage solutions and cable tidies to create a minimalist environment which will not only look great but also decrease stress levels.

home-office-438386_1920-1024x678 A Guide to Creating the Perfect at Home Office Space

Create a routine

One of the negatives of working from home can often be lack of routine. Without surrounding colleagues it can be easy to forget time passing by and the importance of coming up for air and taking regular breaks. By incorporating the below tips you’ll be far more productive for longer:

  • Avoid sitting on sofas and instead use desk space
  • Stock up on office supplies to avoid wasting time finding what you need day-to-day
  • Plan your working day accordingly, including creating to do lists and scheduling breaks
  • Turn off the television and remove anything that will cause distractions
  • Take regular breaks, whether it be for lunch, a short walk or a cup of tea
  • Set yourself an end of day time to prevent temptation to work into the evening

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