Patients NHS Scotland
Person working from home with plants and a clock

How to work from home when you’re not used to it…



Have you now been told to work from home due to Covid-19?

Sure, it sounds easy;  I can sit in my pyjamas all day, I can have the TV on in the background, and I can do what I want, when I want. 

But believe us establishing a routine from day one is really important.

Here at OneMedical Group home working is a way of life for some of our colleagues. We asked our experienced team to come up with a list of handy hints and tips to help you adapt to a new routine whilst remaining super productive.

  • Get up at a normal time, don’t snooze your alarm because you have no commute. Get up, have some breakfast, a coffee, have a shower, get dressed and maybe even do some exercise!
  • Have a room that you work from with a desk/table and a suitable chair remember you’re going to be here for 8 hours or more so it has to be a comfortable set up.
  • Background noise…find out what works best for you. Some people can function and be productive with the TV on, music playing or even a podcast on in the background. Others can’t and get distracted easily. There’s no right or wrong answer to this one, it’s about figuring out what works well for you.
  • Make sure you create a to-do list at the beginning of each day  there’s nothing more satisfying than ticking off those completed tasks.
  • Have your screen at head height. You don’t want to get a sore neck or back from slouching over.
  • Don’t work with your laptop on your lap! Not only does this encourage bad posture, but the battery in laptops can become hot if you use them for extended periods.
  • Be sure to have short breaks like you do at work; get up to make a brew, stretch your legs, have a 2 minute walk around your garden or around your house, play with your dog for 2 minutes it’s important to try and stay active when it’s very easy to stay in the same position for 8 hours in a row.
  • Try and set a time for lunch and make sure you take your FULL lunch break. Most people are guilty of working through lunch when working from home but it is really important to have that time out to refresh your mind.
  • If you have children at home with you, make sure they know you are working. You can plan activities for them the night before and make a pack lunch just as you would for school and let them have a picnic in the front room. It isn’t realistic to ignore your children for the full day so plan ahead and use your breaks wisely!
  • Make sure the environment you’re working in is appropriate if you are using video platforms to communicate with clients or colleagues remember that they can see whatever is behind you!
  • Keep in touch with your work colleagues throughout the day through Slack, Microsoft teams, Google hangouts, WhatsApp it can be lonely working from home and it’s important to maintain those social aspects of your usual working environment.
  • Finish at your usual time  this can be difficult but it’s important to do so. Keeping to a routine is important for your health and wellbeing.

A lot to think about isn’t there? It looks and sound’s easy but it takes practice not to get distracted from the littlest of things. Try follow these simple steps and see how productive it makes you!