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having to change the way we live, how
As the coronavirus forces many of us out of the office and
into our homes, Anna Scothern, Chief Executive of the
National Home Improvement Council, shares her tips for
effective homeworking
irst of all, I hope you are safe
and healthy. These are uncertain
and overwhelming times we are family life, social life – everything.
living in at the moment, which
F can feel very unpredictable. around the world imposing strict rules
It feels as though we are entering a
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we work, how we connect with co-
workers, family and friends and how we
interact with each other.
As a regular homeworker myself,
I love the solitude and simplicity of
working at home. However, now we
have family members working at home
and children home from school, all
adding another level of complexity to
what was once a simple solution.
My early solution to this complex
challenge has been to be disciplined
in carving out specific times in the
day to work, to play with children or
do schoolwork with them and support
elderly relatives.
We don’t know how long this is going
to go on for, so I am looking to try and
can maintain some level of routine in
our lives. The main thing I would say
is to focus on clear communication
around expectations, both with your
family and those at home, but also with
your co-workers, bosses and staff. You
might need to get some of your work
done once the kids are in bed, but don’t
think you can work all day and work
all night. You will burn out quickly, so
you still need to take proper breaks,
eat nutritious food and make sure you
practice proactive daily self-care.
My early solution to this
complex challenge has been
to be disciplined in carving
out specific times in the day to
work, to play with children or
do schoolwork with them and
support elderly relatives
Also remember to keep up your
activity levels. If you use the gym and
are not able to do so now, think about
using digital apps such as FIIT or
Apptiv or one of the many free workout
sessions available on YouTube. If you
can, try to get into the garden or a local
park for a jog around (away from others,
obviously). You can even put on some
music and have a boogie around your
bedroom. Try as hard as you can to keep
your spirits high and to connect with
those around you while doing so.
Consider listening to podcasts,
especially if you find constant news
updates on the radio make your anxiety
new business working paradigm, but levels soar. It’s a great way to listen to
it’s not just business; it’s home life, people talking about things you love. My
personal favourites are The Power Hour,
With schools closed and governments The Good Wolf and The Gratitude Podcast
and, of course, the nation’s favourite –
on social distancing, many of us are Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place.
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