T his week I’ve been on our 9-5 shift and I’ve really felt that I’m getting the hang of working from home. So, using all of the tricks I’ve found that work for me, I thought I’d share a day in the life of a (very productive) Customer Champion here at Current RMS.
8am ⏰ - Start the day the right way
When I first started working from home I was most excited about all the extra sleep. I’d get out of bed 10 minutes before my shift started, throw on my sweats and eat a breakfast bar at my desk. It won’t surprise you to hear that I was fighting with myself to work as efficiently as I usually would!
Now, I get out of bed at 8, take a shower and put on a fresh pair of jeans and a jumper. Breakfast is usually something I go without but I’m taking time to have a round of toast and a cup of coffee so I’m fully awake and ready for my day.
9am 💻 - Get prepped for work
A clear, tidy workspace with plenty of light and fresh air is conducive to working efficiently. Although WFH may seem like a great excuse to try out working horizontally, sitting at a desk with a hard backed chair will help execute the system clean up you’ve been putting off!
I read that it’s important to stick to routine when you’re working from home. When we’re in the office I take time to set up my workspace and open all of our apps so that I can hit the ground running. So that’s exactly what I’m doing at home; sitting down at my desk (or rather my dinner table, in the corner of our living room) about 5 minutes before I’m due to start my shift so that I can prepare my workspace and Macbook for the day!
9.30am 🙋 - Catch up with the team
Whilst we never thought we’d miss the awkward water cooler chat, WFH makes you realise that checking in with colleagues is actually really vital for productivity, helping you stay in the loop.
At 9.30 each day we have a virtual team catch up. Whilst our catch ups are used to break down our day and figure out our priorities as a team we always find time to catch up with each other personally - nothing like solidarity during difficult times to perk you up. Since we’ve got plenty of experience using it for our free online demos, we use Zoom for our catch up meetings, but you could take time to find whichever communication platform works best for you. It’s great being able to keep in touch with customers too - we love to hear from you. Book in a session to get up to speed with Current and let us know what you guys have been working on.
11am ☕ - Grab a coffee
Sweet, sweet caffeine. When I start to feel my concentration drop off slightly I take that as a sign that it’s time for me to stretch my legs and take a 5 minute break.
Whilst it’s tempting to push on through, it’s actually more beneficial to move away from your desk, get a drink and refocus. When the caffeine kicks in and you’re storming through those unread discussions you’ll be glad you took a moment to get back on track.
1pm 🍏 - Lunchtime
In my opinion, lunchtime is sacred and should never be overlooked. Not only is it a great opportunity to indulge in some tasty treats, it’s also a great way to break up your day. Your lunch break provides you with distinct structure in the day allowing you to switch focus from your morning activities to those afternoon tasks that could otherwise end up being rescheduled.
Weather permitting, I like to head outside on lunch to get some fresh air and to stretch my legs. I’ll just walk around the park outside my flat, dog watch and do my best to turn my thoughts away from work. I also try not to eat lunch at my desk so when I get back, I sit in the kitchen and tuck in.
FYI, I’m partial to a cheese and salad sandwich with a large dollop of hot sauce!
2pm 🏫 - Online Demo
Our online demos are a fantastic way of getting to see what Current can do and how it can work for you. I really enjoy our sessions and so I always find that these hour slots zoom by. The great thing about Current is that it’s in the cloud so we’re able to show you all of the features and our new releases from the comfort of our own homes.
I always move into the back room for my demos as I like to mix up the scenery and get myself in demo mode.
4.30pm 📚 - Set tasks for following day
I take half an hour before the end of the day to set out my plan for tomorrow - having a detailed schedule helps me stay on top of everything. Planning allows me to create my ideal day, stops me from feeling overwhelmed with my workload and means that every morning I can jumpstart my productive day.
5pm 🎉 - Hometime
I made it! At first I found it difficult to switch off at the end of the day but armed with a few tricks, I’m really getting a better grip of my work/home life balance.
I know that lots of people work way over their hours when they’re at home because it’s tempting to just finish that inventory check you’ve started, but it’s important to set boundaries (the inventory check will still be open and as you left it when you log in tomorrow.)
At 5, I message the team to let them know I’m finishing and wish them all a great evening. I’ll turn off my computer and get away from the desk. Without fail, the first thing I’d do when I got home from work was get back into my sweats. That’s exactly what I do now too, getting back into slouch mode really helps me switch off from work and enjoy my evening!
If you have any helpful tips for working from home that you can share with us, please reach out and start a conversation. We’d love to hear from you!