Working From Home
Warmth & Wellbeing Wisdom
Rewind six months and most of us would have never imagined we would still be working from home as the colder autumn weather arrives and the clocks go back. But with this new norm not feeling quite so new anymore, the best we can do is to make sure we are looking after ourselves, keeping our workspaces warm and trying not to break the bank with our heating bills as we do it!
With that in mind, we chatted to content creator Laura from the much loved @the_indigo_house, and avid renovator Jess from @hornsby_home to see how they are finding their move to the home office and how they always keep themselves positive, productive and the perfect temperature.
Find Your Balance
If this challenging year has taught us anything, it is to slow down, enjoy quiet moments and find a healthy work-life balance. Laura is particularly appreciating her peaceful mornings!
“Although we’ve all found our routines alter a fair amount during recent times, I’ve tried to take the positives when it comes to working from home. As well as the interiors I also work three days a week for a design company, I’m now doing all of this from my workspace at home. I’ve found that my pace of life has slowed down since not having to rush into the office or get into the car most mornings, this part I have enjoyed, life felt very fast paced before and it’s been lovely to feel more of a work/home balance.” – Laura
Take Time For Yourself
Although our homes are our safe havens, they can feel like completely new environments when tasked to do something out of the norm like get into work mode!
Laura advises to take time for yourself away from your work space, especially if you are home alone and missing your usual coffee machine convos.
“I think there can sometimes be moments of feeling a little cut off when working alone at home, especially if you are used to the buzz of an office or working as part of a team. I try to take some time out each day to do something for myself, that could be a quick trip to have a cuppa with friends or family or a sit down with a magazine, whatever takes you away from work mode!” – Laura
Let There Be Light
It’s important to choose a work space in your home that you are going to enjoy spending the most time in. Think about what you miss about being in the office and try to replicate that at home.
“My home workspace is at the far end of my kitchen/dining room so I’m never far away from the kettle or the fridge, a bonus in my opinion! It’s a fairly warm room as it’s probably the most occupied room in the house and my desk is placed just next to the radiator which kicks out a lot of heat so when that’s on it’s nice and toasty! I also have a large window to the side of the desk so it feels nice and light and bright!” – Laura
Letting as much natural light into your workspace is a must! Light and bright workspaces don’t only help us be more productive, but they can also help to minimise the risk of seasonal affective disorder (SAD). But if you don’t have the option to sit close to a window in your home office, try to get outside as much as you can when the weather is dry. A brisk lunchtime walk will do the world of good.
Break It Up
When working from home, it is so easy to fall into the trap of over working and forgetting to take the regular breaks you may have been used to in the office.
“Make sure you take regular breaks, get up and do something to wake the body up. Make sure you take your lunch break, make yourself something to eat and eat it away from your desk. And finally, keep hydrated, tea definitely gets me through the day but if I place a bottle of water on my desk it’s amazing how much I’ll drink!” – Laura
“Now that the nights are drawing in, it’s so important to get out of the house for some fresh air on your breaks. It’s also really important to set boundaries so you stop working at a reasonable time. When you’re in an office there’s a physical change of scene that reminds you you’re not at work, but that boundary becomes blurred when you work from home. Set an alarm to stop working and stick to it.” – Jess
Layer Up
As we all know, leaving the heating on all day can be an expensive habit! Instead, Jess and Laura layer up in true Mary Berry style to make sure they are warm and cosy enough to get the job done.
“I’m the odd one out in my house; I love to be warm whilst my kids and partner love to be cooler, so I have blankets next to the sofa…means I can get toasty without the boys complaining. Oh and slipper socks… they aren’t trendy or cool in the slightest but my mom always gets me some for Christmas!” – Jess
“I dont have the heating on all day, we tend to just stick to morning and evening so if I’m feeling a little chilly when I’m working then I’ll layer up with a warm jumper, make sure I’m in my cosy slippers or socks and keep the cups of tea coming! I really don’t like to be cold and I don’t work particularly well when I am, so I’ve even been known to have a hot water bottle on my lap, staying warm definitely helps with productivity!” – Laura
BEFORE
AFTER
Work Smarter, Not Harder
“We are lucky that we have a dedicated office downstairs. We have a Windsor double column radiator in the office which keeps it nice and toasty when the heating is on and it’s right next to the desk! I love to be warm, especially when it’s cold and wet outside. When I was at work the air con was always on and I always moaned it was too cold, so I couldn’t be happier having my radiator next to my desk!
Whilst I love to be toasty and warm, I’m also acutely aware of the environmental impact of having our heating on all day, so we do our best to heat the house up early (if it’s cold enough to warrant the heating) and then maintain that temperature as best we can. We have a smart thermostat which allows us to be a bit savvier about how and when we heat the house. I know it’s an obvious one, but having cosy jumpers and slipper socks (which I usually have on for work video calls) means you can resist pressing that heating boost button!” – Jess
Enjoy Everyday Moments
One of the benefits of working from home is the opportunity to appreciate the little home comforts that help get us through the day! Remember to slow down and enjoy everyday moments.
“Working at home completely suits my style of working. I’ve always worked flexibly and I love that I can take my dog out for a walk whilst taking a call, be there when my son comes home from pre-school and have a nice cuppa in my favorite giant mug.” – Jess
Think Electric
With Bluetooth and WiFi connected options, electric radiators might just be what you need to make your working from home routine more efficient and easier to control since they work without having to turn the central heating on!
“We actually have an electric towel rail in our ensuite. It was here when we moved in and I’m amazed at how handy it is. We time it for our morning shower and it’s so good it heats our whole bedroom up. I would never have considered it before I realised how handy it was to heat individual rooms.” – Jess
Considering going electric? Head over to our electric radiator running costs guide
Make It Your Own
An uninspiring workspace is not going to induce great work. Laura recommends surrounding yourself with the little things you love to keep your mood and motivation up.
“Other tips I would recommend for a comfortable workspace is a good chair, no one wants to come away with a sore back and neck! Make your workspace a place you want to be, decorate it, put some prints up, add a plant or some flowers to the space, light a candle, an inspiring space is definitely a more productive one!” – Laura
We hope these words of wisdom have given you a few ideas of how you can make working from home a little more comfortable! For more advice on how to keep your heating costs down, head over to our working from home heating habits guide.
Have you got any good tips for keeping your home office warm or making your routine more enjoyable? Leave us a comment below!