Working from home is a new experience for many around the world, as we navigate #COVID19 and the effects of social distancing. Some of our team members have been working from home for years, others only weeks, but they’re all ready to give you a sneak peek into what helps them stay productive and focussed.

William Cornwill - Specialist SharePoint Consultant

MY SITUATION: Occasionally working from our Melbourne office and client sites, but right now I’m 100% at the home office.

During my three years at Sharing Minds I have often operated out of my home office along with our WeWorks office in the Melbourne CBD, and of course the many coffee shops that I often review (Insta: @coffee_catchup). I have found that working from home requires an extra level of discipline to ensure that interruptions are kept to a minimum. My daughter has been doing her high school via distance learning from home since year 9 and this year is completing her VCE, so being home allows me to balance my work and life nicely.

About two years ago I was diagnosed with a lung disease called pulmonary sarcoidosis, a chronic condition that causes me to have breathing difficulties and fatigue especially when I am stressed. So being able to work from my home based office also provides me with a calming and reduced stress environment and one that I can control. During this COVID19 crisis, and due to my lung condition, it has been advised by my doctors to lockdown and self-isolate for about 12 weeks.

Now, as someone who loves to get out and catch up for coffee, this is proving extremely challenging. As the rest of the company has begun working from home, I have found the level of communication, especially with the morning all hand video call, to provide the social connection that I had been missing.

My tips for working from home:

Create a calming work space that is separate from the rest of the household activities – preferably one with views to outside (I use my study and not the kitchen table)
Only check emails in the morning and towards the end of the day (don’t live in Outlook – get things done)
Plan your days activities (I use Microsoft To Do to create check lists of activities to be done)
Take regular breaks to stretch and clear your mind and have a decent lunch
Listen to some music, burn a candle (in my case I also turn on my salt lamp and humidifier)
Check in with others regularly (using Microsoft Teams chat and video calls)
Leave work behind at the end of the day (make sure you knock off)

I hope these tips will help you to find your groove while you get used to working from home.

I’d also love to hear any other useful tips that you’ve come across, so let me know in the comments below.

All the best,
William

William.Cornwill(at)sharingminds.com.au

Stay tuned as we interview more of our team for their
unique and effective work from home tips.