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ted Learning - Theatre of Learning Drama based training

Working from Home

ted Learning Theatre of Learning drama based training
For many of us still working, the kitchen tables is our new office, the sofa our new break-out area. It’s a strange time and we’re learning to navigate the joys of sharing overloaded wi-fi with socially-starved teenagers, furloughed partners participating in endless Zoom quizzes and sugar-laden tweens begrudgingly star-jumping with Joe Wicks.

No wonder we don’t feel very productive! There’s lots of content around at the moment to support us with setting up our home-working space and time-saving tips to help us establish a new working from home routine, but all the time saving tips in the world won’t work if you’re not thinking holistically. That means focusing on the body not just on the mind. Here’s 4 simple ways you can make sure you’re not sabotaging the best laid plans to actually get stuff done:

ted Learning - Theatre of Learning Drama based training
01. Step away from the sugar.

And the caffeine too for that matter. We know that when you’re tired, a strong coffee seems an obvious choice, and reaching for a chocolate bar mid-afternoon might seem like a good idea to perk you up, but it’s a false economy. Caffeine and refined sugar create short term rushes of energy that aren’t sustained, resulting in a crash a few hours later and a slump that has you reaching for the same crutch again, creating a vicious cycle that messes with your blood sugar levels and muddles your brain. Staying well hydrated (think water, herbal, fruit or green teas, or coconut water) is the key to staying alert, and healthy snacks such as fruit, rice cakes with a dip or a handful of nuts & seeds will give you the energy to stay focused.

02. Get the right amount of sleep.

Not too little, not too much. 8 hours is the recommended amount and it’s best to establish a regular routine, going to bed and getting up at a similar time each day. That might be difficult right now in these lockdown days, but try to get into some kind of rhythm. Don’t lay in bed browsing social media, and switch your devices onto red light a few hours before bed so that even if you can’t tear yourself away, the blue light isn’t tricking your brain into thinking it’s daytime. In the mornings, although it’s tempting, don’t set the snooze alarm – you’re just delaying the inevitable and encouraging your body to wake up more slowly, which means you’re fuzzy-headed for longer. Try drinking a warm glass of water with a slice of lemon when you get up, before eating breakfast or doing any exercise: it’ll wake your body up and is great for flushing out toxins.

03. Eat lunch away from your ‘desk’.

It’s called a lunch break for a reason! Working from home is not a good reason to plough on without a proper break. Don’t just sit at the table hunched over a sandwich: if for no other reason than the crumbs will play havoc with your keyboard! Ideally, use your lunchbreak for your daily exercise and get outside – take a walk around, breathe outdoor air and look at the sky – even if the weather isn’t great, time outdoors will make you much more productive when you do return to the kitchen table. If you can’t get out, make sure you go and sit in a different place for lunch, read a book, or just watch cute cat videos: do whatever you want, but don’t do work.

04. Move more:

You’re in the zone and working to a tight deadline… before you know it several hours have passed and you haven’t moved. Not only is this horrendous for your posture it’s also pretty horrendous for your concentration. Get up. Stretch. Make a drink. Do a dance if you want to: just move! It gets your blood pumping, sending oxygen to all your muscles including the brain, so you’ll be more productive when you return to your work.

If you want to learn more about how to look after yourself or be more productive, why not talk to us about our Mental Health Awareness and Getting Stuff Done courses?

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Roxy-Hooton-Director-ted Learning
Roxy Hooton

Roxy is the Group People Director for Squaricle Group & the Learning Director at ted Learning. She is a fundamental part of our team ensuring that our people are looked after and that our delivery is tailored to the clients needs and is ‘on-brand’.