Cheryl, our Client Services Director shares her advice for working from home

As many of us are adjusting to working from home for the first time, we find ourselves getting to grips with new ways of communicating, working alongside new – sometimes furry – colleagues or mindlessly raiding the cupboard for snacks to keep us going. We thought we’d share how the FIG team are getting on to offer some WFH tips, and to show you that you’re not alone in this. If nothing else, it might give you some new snack inspiration…and who couldn’t use that right now?

• Still continue to eat frogs! (We have a saying in the FIG office of ‘Eat that frog’ which basically means, every day where possible, get the worst job over with first, leaving you to enjoy the rest of your workload for the day).
• Call colleagues rather than emailing all the time, it’s good to talk to them and catch-up on projects but also to check if they’re okay, it’s hard to pick up on that over email.
• Work when you can. I know everyone else out there is telling us to stick to a routine, keeping work and home separate, but if you find yourself working from home with children then you’ll know it’s not as easy at that. I have a golden hour (or two if I’m lucky) in the morning before my new colleague wakes up and it’s a great time to plan and eat those frogs. Knowing I can be flexible and work earlier, later or at the weekends on those projects that need a bit more focus means I’m less stressed.

My daughter Grace is like a moth to a flame with my new desk, she often pretends to make notes and crosses things off my to do list. Maybe there’s method in her madness! One positive I’m taking out of all this is that I’m getting to spend more time with her before she starts school in September. She sees the fun in everything (well most of the time) and lives in the moment, something that’s lovely to get caught up in.

STAY AT HOME – PROTECT THE NHS – SAVE LIVES