Working from home, its a balancing act

For most of us the novelty of our now rather short commute, otherwise known as walking down (or up) the stairs might be beginning to wear off. Our once separated lives of work and home have been merged for quite some time and its more important than ever that we manage ourselves between family life, work and self-care to ensure that we remain happy and productive.

We’ve moved from our fancy desks with multiple screens and comfy office chairs to our kitchen tables surrounded by the hubbub of home life, the kids and the dog. Although its easy to romanticise working from home, whether it’s a pleasure or a curse usually depends on the space which you have to work and the surrounding distractions, the experience is different for everyone.

If you are struggling with working from home, then now is a good time to step back and reflect on how you might be able to improve your well being and get your work life balance back. Are you able to manage your work day around your household commitments by getting up early or working a little later in the evening when the house is quiet? Are you making sure that you still have time to do the things you enjoy? Here are a few words on what our team is doing to stay happy and productive during lockdown.

Elliott – “I have done my best to maintain my routines albeit slightly differently to before. I’ve readjusted my study plan to reflect my CII exam cancellations and I also make time once a week for few catch up beers over a video call with my mates. I’ve spent a lot of time experimenting with standing desks and now frequently work from the chest of draws in my bedroom. I have moved back in with my parents for the time being which has been a challenge, I have got in the habit of going on bike rides when I need some head space.”

Kim – “I am trying to manage my own expectations of what is achievable in a day with two young children and a key worker husband. We’ve drawn up a tight schedule which we are all trying hard to stick to, including 20 mins of morning stretching for the neck and back tension that’s accumulated, which is made more interesting by being climbed over by my one year old. I am making use of OneNote for the first time to great effect. I am also switching off the TV sometimes in the evenings and reading instead, with the loft windows open to listen to the relative calm of a city in lockdown.”

Suz – “I am all about routine and structure. If I don’t have this, I don’t cope very well! I’ve always been an early bird and continue to get up before the rest of the household to get a bit of work under my belt before I’m disturbed. I’ve created a mini gym in my garage, so I’ll often start the day with some exercise. My day is structured to give me a break in the morning and in the afternoon so I can do an activity/school work with my 9 year old son, and once I have finished work around 5pm we go on a walk or a cycle for our daily exercise.”

If you are an IFA and require Paraplanning assistance don’t hesitate to get in touch.