Page 10 - BPIF inPRINT Issue 62

inDEPTH

According to the Office for National Statistics,
just 5% of the UK labour force worked mainly
from home in 2019

human resources

BLOCKED

WORK OUTSIDE THE BOX

Carys Davis, Public Affairs Adviser, shares practical working-from-home tips

ccording to the Office taking a morning ‘commute’ just enough time to put Turn up the volume
Afor National Statistics, around the garden will that washing out and brew If working in silence feels
just 5% of the UK labour get you in the right frame another coffee. odd, the right music can be
force worked mainly from of mind. For me, wearing motivating. Try YouTube for
home in 2019. For the vast shoes not slippers seems to Block social media a wide variety of focus music
majority of us, a daily habit make a massive difference. Unless it’s part of your which uses binaural beats
of commute, coffee, banter, After all – dress smart, work job description, pesky to aid concentration. Spotify
work, lunch, work and smart. And if you’re using social media can be a compiles playlists for any
commute was the norm, video calling, it’s much huge distraction. Apps mood, including ‘Monday
a routine occasionally better for everyone if you’re like Freedom, Cold Turkey Motivation’ and ‘Brain Food’
punctuated by a mandatory not caught by surprise and Focus Me allow you to mixes. Classic FM works
health and safety seminar in a tattered onesie mid- blacklist websites for set well for me, and also tends
or a colleague’s birthday afternoon. periods of time, for your own to deter children. If you miss
drinks. Now, in the era of good. No more cat videos or the specific hubbub of the
coronavirus, millions of Use laundry as a timer fake health news, at least workplace, try a talk radio
us have been adjusting One of the best (and worst) not until later. or news channel quietly in
to a new normal, where things about working the background. You can
the blurred lines between from home is being able Have a dedicated workspace even recreate the office
home and workplace to kill two birds with one Any underused corner will atmosphere authentically
present a very specific set of stone when it comes to do. For example, a cosy with sound effects you can
challenges. housework. Try setting your work nook can often be find online – complete with
As a homeworker for washing on a 50-minute created under the stairs, loud typing, shrill ringing
nearly five years, I’m going cycle, and when it’s finished the one that’s currently full phones and the infuriating
to share my top five most (and bleeping madly), take a of deflated footballs and murmur of other people’s
practical tips for getting break. Studies have shown broken mop buckets. If phone conversations.
stuff done from the comfort that around 45-50 minutes there’s no room for a desk,
of your own home. is the perfect amount of perhaps a ‘floating’ or ‘drop For further information,
time for the human brain down’ desk is the answer – please contact Carys Davis,
Get dressed! to concentrate on a work or these ingenious contraptions Public Affairs Adviser, at
It can be tempting to spend study task. And ten minutes fold flat against the wall [email protected]
the whole day in pyjamas, is ideal to reset the brain when you don’t need them.
but having a shower, getting and prep it for the next Wherever you set up, face
dressed and perhaps even session, which is probably away from the television!

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