1. Communication is key.
Just because you’re out of the office, doesn’t mean you should let your communication with clients or coworkers slip. Make sure you’ve implemented call forwarding, call routing or you’re using a softphone to ensure you’re not missing out on business opportunities.
If you’re an employer; why not utilise conference calls regularly to update your workforce en masse? In uncertain times, keeping everyone in the loop and feeling part of a team will increase motivation and productivity.
With a VoIP phone system, there’s no need to rely on being in the office to communicate. Check out our VoIP System features to find out more.
2. Set boundaries.
The kids are bored. Your partner wants to play Scrabble. Your flatmate has made a batch of mojitos and it’s only 1pm. Whatever the scenario, it’s important to set boundaries with whomever you’re quarantined with. Keep working hours that are as close to your usual ones as possible, and communicate them clearly.
Of course, this is an exceptional circumstance and keeping your normal hours might not be a possibility. If that’s the case, try to work out a rough timetable for quarantine so you still have some structure to your work life.
Top tip: If you are momentarily distracted, feel secure in the fact Apex PBX offers voicemail to email/SMS.
3. Work in a sensible location and position.
Your bed isn’t an office and a bean bag isn’t a substitute for a desk chair. While it can seem like a good idea to stay in bed for an extra few hours, with your laptop balanced on your lap, not only does it make it tricky to differentiate between work and leisure time, it could also have an impact on your ergonomic health.
Try to ensure you’re sat upright at a table or desk. Of course, we don’t all have a fully decked out office in our homes, but creating a workspace and looking after posture is very important. To find out more information on sitting correctly, read the Innerbody’s suggestions.
4. Put some trousers on.
Living in pyjamas? Wearing a shirt but nothing else on video calls? We all know the tricks.
As tempting as it is to stay in your PJs, the simple act of changing will put you into work mode. It also makes it far harder to fall back into bed during lunch. This doesn’t mean you have to put on a blazer, but it does mean you shouldn’t have been wearing the same outfit for longer than 16 hours.
5. Don’t let your health become a low priority.
Just because you may now have the opportunity to work non-stop for 14 hours, doesn’t mean you should. It’s important to take regular breaks, to fit in exercise and to check-in with your loved ones and yourself.
The NHS states that frequent short breaks are better for your back than fewer long ones, so make sure you’re regularly moving, and if you’re not self-isolating, try to get out for your bit of exercise each day. If you are isolating, look into at-home options.
Top tip: Set up a voicemail for outside of working hours and amend dates and times via Apex’s easy-to-use web portal.
