Tips for working from home

Here in South Africa, we have just started to practise social distancing and self quarantine due to the Corona Virus hitting our shores, and a lot of us are now working from home in an attempt to curb the infection rate.

For those who haven't spent large amounts of time working from home, this can pose quite a challenge. On one hand, it's exciting to have freedom from the confines of the office but on the other hand, productivity can really take a knock and isolation can mess with your head.

Don't worry though, we've been doing this for years - as a product of the nature of our business, we are able to spend large amounts of time working from home or on the go - so we've got loads of great tips for you.

• Create a dedicated work space. Ideally you want a proper desk and chair, but any space that is allocated to being a "work-only" zone will do.

• Set yourself working rules, like "no TV until 6pm" or "don't play with the dog until a particular task is completed".

• Keep your diary and to-do list organised and stick to it.

• Get dressed in the morning as if you were actually going to go to work. It might sound great to stay in your PJs all day but it's gross and it really hampers self-motivation.

• Download Skype for quick and easy chats with colleagues (on your computer and mobile) and Zoom for meetings. The more connected you feel to others, the less isolated you feel at home.

• Schedule brain breaks where you can go for a walk or get some sort of exercise (YouTube workouts are great for this) and clear your head.

• Create a meal plan for the day that you prep the night before as if you were actually going to work, with packed food and snacks. Don't visit the fridge when you're bored.

• Finally, don't constantly browse the internet/social media and making your own distractions. Set a limit to how much time you allow yourself to do this when it happens.

Good luck, guys - we're all in this together!