Tips for optimizing workday at home

1. Create a plan for the day and reflect
   While working at home daily rhythm gets easily blurred or we easily drift from one topic to another. Reserve couple of minutes at the beginning and in the end of each day to plan your goals, task and schedule.  Recognizing your personal biorhythm is beneficial; plan your day based on your energy level, have focused tasks at your peak times and routine works and emails on rebound times. At the end of the working day, reflect on what you got done – notion of achievements gives you a boost of energy!
2. Set a working time and start your day with a routine
   While working at home workdays might unintentionally continue throughout the night or personal issues might disturb your work. In your daily plan, make a clear schedule for starting and ending your work. Start your day with routine that makes a point to your brain that work starts now. Routine might be changing on working clothes, morning coffee or going through to-do-list.  On afternoon, have a same kind of routine that clearly states that work ends now; it is easier to have a mental transition to leisure. 
3. Pay attention to your working place
   Even though you might not have a proper home office, try to have a clear spot that is dedicated to work. Working space gives you a signal to work and leaves the rest of your home for leisure. Working at bed is not recommended, as mental connection between work and bed might lead to problems in sleeping. At the end of the workday, leave the work to the working space, and do not take it with you to coach on your free time.

4. Maintain your energy and have breaks 
   Even the sharpest brain cannot be 100% focused the whole day, so remember to have a lunch and snack breaks, and other breaks between tasks to maintain your focus. 

   Connection and the sense of community is important, and even if working at home you can have informal meetings – have a virtual lunch or coffee break together with your colleagues!  

   Working at home might not be ergonomically optimal, so remember to have some breaks for a small exercise regularly!

5. Agree the ways of working with you colleagues
   Agree together on ways of working; how to collaborate and co-create, share information and how to ensure informal communication as well. Having a video call is a good way to collaborate, seeing each other’s faces does wonders for the level of connection and clarity of communication. Microsoft Teams is a great tool for collaboration.  

Let’s be creative and have courage to experiment new ways of working. And when you have a best practice, why not share it to others? Join the #timetolevelup community in Teams.