Time to Work from Home?

Capturing the mood of the moment we look at how technology and the Coronavirus are changing the way people work in Bromley and the South-East

Before the Covid19 - Coronavirus outbreak seized headline news, there was already a significant number of people working from home. Technology allows us to do this.

At Edward Ashdale we’ve increasingly seen over the past few years home buyers paying attention to where they can place themselves in a domestic environment.

Many employers, large and small, now actively encourage staff to work from home to reduce the chances of this debilitating virus to spread in the foreseeable future.

Of course, not everyone has the option to work from home, but those that do can benefit from these tips suggested below:

1. Set a routine. Working within a timeframe will give you structure and provide boundaries.
2. Act as if…. How would you dress for work? Not in your Pyjamas or nightgown we’re guessing. So, dress like you would in the office.
3. Choose a spot. Having a dedicated work area at home helps you get organised and be more productive. Feel like going to work. Whether it’s the kitchen, dining table or a desk, choose a spot you call ‘the office’.
4. Avoid work creeping. That’s work creep, not work creeps. This is a phrase used to describe working matters spilling over into your own time. It’s a particularly easy trap to fall into, especially when working from home, so stick to that routine you set.
5. Schedule a couple of mind saving calls. It’s easy to fall into the trap of feeling isolated when working from home, so take time out to call a colleague rather than email. This will help you maintain a sense of human connection, which is something we all need unless you are a lefty anti-banter person.
6. Diarise distractions. Working from home conjures up many more distractions than the office or usual workplace. Kids, pets, doorbell, the sofa! Build space into your working day to allow time for those distractions.
7. Most importantly, yes, the advice may well be to work from home and avoid places where large numbers of people are congregating, but it’s important for your mental health to get outdoors in the fresh air. Even if it’s to walk around the block.

It’s very much business as usual here at Edward Ashdale, but we are taking the NHS advice on steps we can all take to keep ourselves, our clients and our community safe and healthy.

If you have another tip on working from home there will be a £50.00 cash prize to the first received along with a dozen toilet rolls. Management’s decision is final, first tip to be received, not open to members or relatives of Edward Ashdale or it'smarketing associates.