Working From Home 101

Before COVID-19 working from home was a rare luxury reserved for coders, marketers and business owners. 

2020 saw the industry jump years forward, many of us are now working from home, in fact more than half of global businesses are offering some form of work from home option, including SuperHub. 

Working from home provides some amazing benefits, you are in the comfort of your own space, with your family and pets and can even wear comfortable clothes (waist down if you are taking Zoom calls). However, there are some challenges to working from home, this can include feeling disconnected from your co-workers, difficulty maintaining productivity and creating a productive space. 

We have realised these things first-hand ourselves, and here is what SuperHub have put into place to help combat this: 

Dress To Impress

I know we joked about wearing PJ’s from the waist down, but that doesn’t mean you should! We know you are at home and you might feel like there is not much point in getting dressed up to sit at your desk with your cat all day. But getting dressed in your work clothes puts you in the right mindset to be productive, just like making your bed in the morning! Our social media manager Tom recommends wearing shoes! It's proven to make you more productive! 

Get A Routine Going

Routine is key to a healthy work/life balance. Everyone’s routine is different it depends on your commitments and your work schedule.

One of our customers day trades the stock market in Rome; for this reason he doesn’t start until a couple of hours before the US market opens at 15:30 local time. Another customer is a digital marketer, and often wakes up early to engage with an audience that interacts at a certain time. 

The key is finding your routine to establish a healthy balance and try to create schedules. For example, work from 8-12, have lunch and work out. Then carry on from 1 / 2 – 5PM. Within this, it is important to take frequent breaks away from screens. 

Stay Safe

It is a good idea to stay safe, long exposure to screens can have damaging results on your eyes, mind and posture. It is a great idea to take regular breaks, we recommend at least 10 minutes every two hours. 

Sitting down for long periods of time is also unhealthy. It is a good idea to get physical, taking walks after or before work or squeeze in a quick living room yoga session (So 2020). Staying connected with nature and taking fresh air is also important for your mental health, but so is staying connected with your friends and family! Keep in touch during your breaks, life isn’t all work. 

Get Some Gear And Apps To Help You Out

Getting your office set up well can make all the difference to your working environment, we reached out to the SuperHub team to see what they use at home and these are the top products. 

• Laptop Stand - Oliver uses a laptop stand when working to help with neck and back strain. Rather than looking down at a laptop you can view your workload from a eye level height. 
• Desk Mat - A large desk mat is a great way to keep your work space clean and organised. It is also a more comfortable way of working and doubles up as a mouse mat, we have been using this felt one from Amazon.
• Audible - Audible is a audio book service from Amazon, your first month is free. Audible is a great way to unwind and listen to your favourite books in the background whilst working or on your break.
• Calm -   COVID-19 and the various lockdowns has taken a toll on our mental health. Now might be a good time to try one of the meditation and sleep support apps. Our team personally use Calm and we have loved the experience so far. 
• Ergonomic Mouse - Working from home as we know involves a lot of work on your desktop/laptop. An ergonomic mouse mimics the natural handshake position which can reduce pain and stress injuries.
• True Wireless Headphones - True wireless headphones have become really handy during the pandemic, especially for handsfree calls. We picked up these Aukey ones lately and they perform really well for under £25.00.