- 3 min read

THE 5 BEST WAYS TO WFH - with these practical solutions.

Whether you work from home (WFH) or in a hybrid role where you sometimes visit a formal workplace, the task is the same. Get work done. Different people respond in different ways to WFH. Some love it, some hate it, and the rest make the best of it.

From a wide range of their experiences, we can identify five main ways to be effective:

Be organised and productive working from home
Stay motivated;
Balance work and home life
Keep focused
Connect & collaborate.

Be organised and productive working from home.

Create a designated workspace: This helps you stay focused and reduce distractions.
Set a daily routine: This helps you to stay organised and on track and strengthen your resistance to distractions such as household chores or other domestic demands.
Name specific times for regular tasks: such as answering emails or working on a project; stick closely to this schedule.
Avoid multitasking: focusing on one task at a time is far more efficient, and brain research proves it.
Use productivity tools: master calendars, to-do lists, and project management software to control tasks.
Minimise distractions: It’s easy to get side-tracked working from home; turn off distracting phone notifications; avoid constantly checking social media or browsing the internet without a specific goal allied to your core purpose.
Actively use your routine: to stay on track and resist distractions such as household chores or other domestic demands.
Declutter: make your environment support your physical or digital products.
Take care of yourself: prioritise physical and mental health.

Separate home working from leisure areas: that’ll help your mental transition into "work mode" when you sit at your desk.
Check-in with colleagues: Since working from home can be isolating, regularly contact your colleagues, managers, and team, and participate in virtual meetings or social events.
Track your accomplishments: a constant progress check can keep you motivated by reminding you of your achievements.
Prioritise your mental and physical health: taking care of yourself helps keep you focused and motivated, for example, by practising mindfulness, exercising regularly, and eating healthy meals.

Balance work and home life

Set boundaries for yourself and others: so that work and home life don't blur together.
Choose specific hours for work, and stick to them: let people know when you're available and when you're working; this will deter interruptions.
Take regular breaks: working from home can be isolating, taking short walks, exercising, and other physical and mental activities help to recharge your batteries.
Let go of the smartphone or tablet: resist the urge to have them in the bedroom when you finally go to bed; unless you’re expected to be on call 24/7, switch them off to stop any notifications that could disturb your sleep.

Keep focused

Use your dedicated workspace: enjoy a quiet, uncluttered, distraction-free area to help enter "work mode".
Establish a routine and schedule: stick to this and use it to resist being side-tracked by household chores and other distractions.
Adopt focusing tools and allied methods: such as the Pomodoro technique, which encourages people to manage their time better and in short chunks.
Install blocking apps: use ones that block distracting websites.
No guilt: take breaks when needed; put your physical and mental health first.

Connect & collaborate

Communicate with your team regularly: use tools such as Slack, email, instant messaging, MS Teams, Zoom or video conferencing to help everyone stay up to date on what's happening and to discuss progress and any concerns.
Use online collaboration tools: project management software or document-sharing platforms to make it easier to collaborate and share information.
Encourage open and honest communication: support your team members in feeling comfortable raising concerns or asking for help.
Keep your communications clear and precise: be proactive in offering senior colleagues constant updates and transparent progress reports without always waiting to be asked,
Seek guidance: respond to requests or questions from your boss or co-workers, and don’t be afraid to ask for feedback.
Stay professional: be dedicated and respectful in all your interactions.