7 Tips to survive Working from Home

1. Make a clear ‘Purpose List’
Every Monday morning – or even before going to bed on a Sunday night – make a list of everything you want to achieve in the next five days. You might decide to make two separate lists – one of what you want to achieve and one of what you need to achieve. Sometimes these can be very different.

2. Have clear working hours
It might feel like you have more time when working from home. You won’t have to commute, run ensembles in lunchtimes or after school and you won’t have the distractions that often come from students and other staff. But this doesn’t mean you don’t need clear working hours. Try to switch off the computer at the end of a school day, at the same time, every day.

3. Keep a good work / life balance
When you do switch off the computer / devices, make sure that you give your full attention to those who you live with. Create specific times of relaxation and fun. You might want to plan these each weekend for the week ahead. Make mealtimes more fun! If you live on your own, why not schedule regular social times on zoom, with those who you would usually see and your family. Rediscover simple things like games and quizzes that allow you to switch off from work. Buy some new headphones and rediscover music again.

4. Dress up
Try to differentiate between ‘work’ clothes and ‘home’ clothes. You might not need to wear that suit (male or female) again yet, but recognising that clothes affect how we feel cannot be underestimated. Try wearing something special and see if you feel different at the computer.

5. Tidy up
This is a great opportunity to rearrange your home work space. Consider how you file paper, what is on your desk, where your instruments are and most importantly what is behind you when you zoom! Take this chance to paint a wall, move those boxes and buy a new desk lamp. Lighting your face (use a daylight bulb) will make all the difference for online teaching.

6. Skill up
There’s another great opportunity you can take in these times. Consider doing an online course in that skill you have been putting off. Maybe you need to explore Logic Pro a little more, increase your design skills for classroom posters, or take a course on public speaking; whichever it is, now is the perfect time. Either officially or casually on YouTube, the knowledge is out there and you’ll thank yourself when classes resume.

7. Rediscover the phone
For some of us, actually making a genuine audio phone call has become something of the past. We find it much easier and quicker to fire off a stream of emails in the morning before jumping into our daily routine – which was previously classroom or instrumental work and is now likely to be scheduled zoom calls. But why not force yourself to make one actual phone call every day? You’ll find the human interaction refreshing and you’ll also start to get to know the person you’re calling a little better than you would from an email. Additionally, you can use a handsfree and make the call whilst going for a walk. It’s a win-win for your time and your mental health and that’s something we need to take extra care of in these days.