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Home Comforts

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Home Comforts

“You must work from home if you can” – The dreaded words that a lot of us did not want to hear again after an already long summer of confinement and separation. I am sure there were people thinking… “I can’t do this, not again!” Because for many, working from home and being unattached from the usually vibrant and energetic environment of a recruitment office, fills them with dread and uncertainty.

Staying motivated in arguably the toughest sales job you could possibly do, is tough enough without the added pressures of having to work remote.

Add the time of year to this awful concoction and you have a very real recipe for anxiety and negativity. To make it clear, this is not me suggesting that working from home/remotely is a bad thing, but I think it needs to be in moderation and with a correct balance, in order for you to reach your full potential.

Maybe you are reading this and thinking… “Yep, that sounds very much like me” and are struggling to remain positive during another lockdown and wondering if there are any solutions to this mayhem? Well, I’m not suggesting that we have a “magic formula” for anyone who is struggling, but we do have some useful hints and tips which have and continue to help people within our business that I thought would be useful to share…

At Charles Hunter Associates people are at the forefront of what we do and keeping our staff motivated, energised and most importantly, happy, is very important to us. To try and tackle some of the issues highlighted above, we have our online “Focus Groups” which allow us to collaborate by sharing ideas, successes and challenges but more importantly it allows us to TALK! We choose a topic once a week and then in small groups, we dissect and discuss the topic in detail. It helps all of us work more efficiently and stay connected.

I wanted to share some hints and tips from our Focus Group last week which was entitled: “How to manage your time and work effectively from home”

Hopefully, this will help you combat the pressures and challenges you face when working remotely.

  • It is important to TALK! Have regular online meetings with your colleagues, even if it is 10 mins to talk about something other than work.

  • Set a structured day plan, the Eisenhower Matrix (google it, if you have not heard of it) is a fantastic way to stay organised and focus on the things that will make you successful.

  • Get up at a good time, shower, have breakfast and get ready for your day as normal, it will help with a positive mindset and allow you to focus on the day ahead.

  • Take regular breaks throughout the day, DO NOT sit at your laptop for 12 hours a day without moving… You will go insane.

  • Get fresh air… This lockdown is more difficult in comparison to the Summer one as it is cold, rainy and dark by 4:30pm, so try and get out on your breaks, even if it is for 10 mins.

  • Do not work in the same place you sleep and live (If you can), get in another room and separate your “office” from your personal life, it will help combat cabin fever.

  • Set yourself “little wins” or targets throughout the day, do not be overwhelmed by a daily/weekly target. Those “little wins” will lead to ultimate success.

  • Exercise… A little run in the morning or a brisk walk on a break is great to get the endorphins going and help you stay focused.

  • When you are on the phone, put your headphones in and move around, allowing you time away from staring at the screen and sitting in the same place.

  • Have the radio on, a playlist or some calming music in the background to stop you from hearing white noise all day.

Hopefully, some of these useful tips above can help you stay positive and focussed whilst working from home. I know they have already worked for some of us here at Charles Hunter Associates.

At a time when anxiety and depression are at their highest, we are always here to support our people with whatever help they need.

If Charles Hunter Associates sounds like a business that you might be interested in joining, then please reach out to me. I would welcome the opportunity to talk and tell you some more about our business and what we do.

So, stay positive and remember there is always someone there to talk to…