Career SPACE Newsletter Mar 2022

Slacking off at home?
Kick the procrastination habit with these productivity-boosting tips

Studies have shown that in most cases employees actually increase their productivity when they work at home. If that’s not you, here are some tips to help you get going when working from home.

1. Figure out when you are most productive

When you are working from home, there are many home and life distractions - not to mention the refrigerator and Netflix! That can pose a threat to your productivity. So, how you can make the most of your day while at home?

First, try and get into a work routine. This can be as simple as writing a to-do-list to focus your attention – but do make sure to include reasonable breaks to refresh your mind.

Second, reach peak productivity levels with these productivity-boosting techniques. If you pretty much always procrastinate, take a look at these 10 tips to avoid procrastination at home and become a super-productive person.

2. It’s never too late to boost your skillset

Since the pandemic, many companies have embraced remote or hybrid working models for their staff. You may feel this makes it more difficult to gain work experience. But there are still plenty of ways to gain work experience in a virtual world so you can keep enhancing your CV and even build a portfolio of successful projects. And don’t forget that being able to work productively from home may in itself become a requirement for your CV.

Apart from work experience, many digital skills are useful across a large range of roles, check out these 6 digital skills that you can practice on your own. Adding them to your skill set could really make a difference to what you have to offer.

3. When one door closes, another opens

Working from home may make it seems harder to separate your work life and home life because there isn’t a physical separation. Even worse, you may find it difficult to switch off ... or on! This can result in feelings of exhaustion and stress.

To prevent job burnout, ask yourself these 5 questions to identify the symptoms of burnout and find solutions to restore your energy and happiness. Working alone at home for days on end can also be quite lonely as many people miss the social interaction they get from being in the office. Here are some useful tips to help you let go of negative feelings and overcome any emotional feelings of loneliness or being ‘cut off’ from your colleagues and team support in the office.

4. Always prepare for success

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic and the social distancing measures that have been implemented, mean that many employers have had to abandon traditional hiring techniques and opt for a virtual approach instead.

They are now choosing to conduct interviews remotely using video conferencing tools. This requires a different kind of preparation from a face-to-face interview. To help you prepare, read these 4 tips for preparing a virtual interview and the key DOs and DON'Ts during a video interview. Show the hiring manager that you’ve done your preparation for the interview, and you should be well on your way to interview success.

5. New techniques you must have

Many companies have been relying on video conferencing tools such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams for online collaboration during the pandemic. From team meetings to presentations to interviews, if you haven’t come into contact with these tools yet, chances are you will.

It’s worth familiarising yourself with the basics so you’re well prepared to use these platforms. Here is a handy guide to help you get to grips with the basics of Zoom and a beginner’s guide to using Microsoft Teams. Give them a try? The best way to learn to use these platforms is to just have a go. The more you play around with them, the faster you’ll get accustomed to using them.

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Mar 2022 - Career SPACE Newsletter