No one could have predicted the Coronavirus pandemic or indeed the effects it would have on all of us at such fundamental levels. Lifestyles have seen a great deal of upheaval and many of the changes that were necessary were for basic things we had previously taken for granted. With schools closed, ‘homeschooling’ became a novel new experience for many. Socialising was either outdoors or online. Retail shifted to be mostly internet-based too. Work was no longer to be conducted in an office and meetings became virtual instead of face to face. It has been a challenging time for all with work perhaps being the most significant one as there has been a shift-change in the views of working from home on the whole. This change has brought with it a host of benefits that extend beyond those of personal and staff safety. Increased productivity, better work life balances, reduced costs for companies; there are many to list. As such, it’s likely to continue on a larger scale much past the end of pandemic so any temporary working from home arrangements will probably need to become more permanent.

So how do you ensure you can successfully work from home during the Coronavirus pandemic and beyond? Take a look at our suggestions:

Define a dedicated space

This is perhaps one of the hardest elements of working from home to achieve. Without adding an extension, the chances are you have had to commandeer an area of a communal room or you’re confined to a spare room, without a decent working environment. But rather than engage in a serious building project, there is another solution; a dedicated office added to your garden. We offer the Chatsworth Home Pod which can be tailored to suit your individual needs. Fully insulated, contemporary, well-designed and hard-wearing, with a range of advanced features included as standard, it’s the perfect home office for you.

The benefits of a dedicated area such as this mean you can work in peace, with few interruptions. It will allow you to separate work life from home life and you’ll have the ability to close the door at the end of the working day to ensure you relax properly. You’ll still feel as though you’re ‘going to work’ (but without the commute) and you won’t have to worry about privacy, noise, or disorganisation as you’ll be able to have a full office set up.

Ensure you have the right equipment

Another key thing to ensure you have whilst working at home during the Coronavirus pandemic and beyond is the right equipment. There are few things more annoying than constantly feeling as though you are inadequately prepared for the working day so the sooner you get set up properly, the better. Considerations you need to make are:

• Connectivity – poor connection speeds will compromise the quality of any video calls you need to take part in. With a home pod, an electrical fuse board will be included as standard to enable connection from your home to make your life easier.
• Additional screens – working from a laptop at the wrong height for your eyeline can cause neck and back issues/pain so adding another monitor or two at the right height will be of great benefit.
• Appropriate accessories – again, using a laptop at the wrong height, or with a poor keyboard might cause problems. So consider investing in an additional keyboard and a mouse, both of which can have extra wrist supports if you need them.

Maintain your health

The past 12 months have encouraged us all to focus on our health more and this should remain a priority going forwards and working from home can be hugely beneficial if you ensure you adopt some good behaviours. It is true that there might be fewer steps made if you are only heading out to your back garden, but lunchtime walks can be even easier to achieve as long as you’re disciplined. So try to incorporate as much of the following as you can:

• Take regular breaks – screen breaks help to improve concentration and to prevent eye strain. But getting up to move about is great for your joints and your digestive system too.
• Stay hydrated and well-nourished – the effects of dehydration and lack of nutrition can have a poor effect on the body and on your productivity too. It is easy to neglect yourself whilst working from home, but being in such close proximity to your kitchen should make it easier for you! Keep a bottle of water to hand and make sure you take proper breaks to eat.
• Ergonomic furniture – back and joint problems can often be caused by sitting in inadequate chairs for extended periods of time. Taking regular breaks with physical activity will help but what will be hugely beneficial is having an ergonomic chair and desk. A small investment could yield a great health return!

Since it seems the majority of us will continue working from home during the Coronavirus pandemic and probably far beyond, why not start looking into a longer-term solution to suit your needs? Get in touch with us and we’ll be happy to discuss the home pod which is right for you.