Currently working from home? We caught up with our very own Mr Judo, John Bramall, to get his top tips for working from home.

Having worked in an office environment for the previous 24 years, I was understandably a little apprehensive about the transition to working from home and the perception which comes with it.

However, over the last 2 years, I believe I have found a good work / home life balance.

There is no right or wrong way to approach working from home; we all have different personalities, various lifestyles, and specific job roles, and what might work well for one, might be counter-productive for another.

However, my top 5 tips for working from home (which work well for me in my role of Logistics Manager) are as follows:

When to work:

Set a schedule, have good time management, and create a routine (but not monotonous).  It’s easy to lose track of time and work longer than planned without realising (“just one last email”).  Self-discipline is vitally important.  Know when to call it a day.

Where to work:

Whilst working from your laptop on your knees from the sofa in your living room might be ok for some on a short-term basis, in an ideal world a dedicated office (or desk space) within the home away from distractions is far more beneficial for quality long-term work & health.

Take breaks & exercise:

When working alone, it becomes very easy to miss taking a break or working through / skipping meals.  Leave the house at least once per day to clear your mind and to get some fresh air, natural light, and exercise.  If nobody is there to remind you, set alarms if needs be for breaks.  Working from home can be lonely, so pick-up the phone and speak to colleagues.  Look after your physical and mental wellbeing.

Dress as you would at work:

This may sound strange, however, I always wear British Judo Kit when working from home, even though I might not see anyone else that day.  It psychologically provides me with a “working mindset”, and I just wouldn’t feel the same or as motivated working from home in jeans & t-shirt.  Likewise, changing out of workwear and into jeans & t-shirt once the working day is done may help your brain to switch-off from work.

Stay focused & accountable and stick to your goals, aims, objectives:

Be true to yourself, remain on task, and be productive.  Don’t be a stranger – always be available to others if they need to contact you.