TLW’s Top Tips for Staying at Home

During these unprecedented times, times when we are all being told to stay in our homes, it is important for everyone to find a way to make that work for them.

For those that are still working, this may be the first time you are working from home.

Being at home all day can pose challenges for every member of the household whether you are working or not. That’s why, following our first week of being at home, some of the TLW team have put together our list of top tips for effectively working, having fun, keeping active and staying positive as we spend time in our homes.

Claire Sellars – Customer Service and Account Manager

My daughters and step-daughter have taken to doing their schoolwork on the trampoline to embrace the gorgeous sunshine we are having! I have worked out I am 17 steps away from the fridge and the battle is on to not be tempted to just going to it!

I have moved my garden furniture into my living room to make a desk and am playing the best of the 80’s/90’s on my Alexa to keep me motivated!

I am picking the phone up where I can to our customers, as having spoken to a few it’s a welcome break and feels a bit normal to be ‘open’ as usual. The conversations are positive and looking to the future.

My eldest daughter made me do a chair workout with her last night so that we are still moving!

Laura Shutkever – Head of Marketing

On days when I’m not working I find it helps to have a structure and to feel like I have achieved something with my day. That’s why I made a ‘daily plan’ bowl (you don’t have to use a bowl but that was how I have done it!)

I have divided the bowl into four sections: jobs, exercise, creative tasks and ‘me time’. Then I wrote tasks on pieces of paper that I’d like to achieve, for example:

• Jobs – clean out the cupboard under the stairs, gardening, clean the windows, etc.
• Exercise – 30 minutes yoga, 1 hour walk, 1 online exercise class, etc.
• Creative tasks – paint, draw, practice a musical instrument, etc.
• Me time – watch a favourite film, read, have an afternoon nap, lay in the garden, etc.

Then, each morning, I pull a task from each section at random. Completing those tasks then becomes my plan for the day!

On the days that I’m working I like to start my day the same as I would on a normal working day and at the same time. In fact, I’ve tried to keep my working day as similar to a regular working day in the office, including aspects like what time I eat and how often I communicate with my team. This enables me to keep my days structured, focussed and productive. I have also found that Microsoft Teams is a great tool to keep in touch with the team and track our projects and progress every day.

Neil Hancock – Operations Manager

I have been enjoying having the opportunity to binge watch series on Netflix that I need to catch up on! Outside of that I have been researching different vinyl records that I can order to add to my music collection!

Angela East – Executive Assistant

Put your favourite music on and sing to your heart’s content!

Emma Bramley – Digital Marketing Executive

If you’re trying to keep active why not try Joe Wicks’s Body Coach videos!

Keep in touch with friends using apps like WhatApp and HouseParty.

Learn something you’ve always wanted to learn to give you something to look forward to doing in the future.

Staying focussed for work can be a challenge, my tips for this are:

• Use the StayFocusd Google Chrome extension
• Make to do lists every day
• Try to get away from your screen at lunch time

Kirstie Hancock – Operations Assistant

I like to keep in touch with my friends by playing games with them on Xbox live. This means we can chat and play a game at the same time which is fun. I’m also spending my time helping out members of my family who are in isolation by dropping off food and running errands. This makes the days go much quicker!

Marcel Ashmore – Business Development Manager

Stay near the fridge! And stick to a time plan like you would in the office.