As most of us are having to work from home, it’s really important you create a comfortable and great work environment and space. Our tips will help you establish good boundaries, stay healthy and be productive.

Create a work-specific space
It’s essential that you create a work-specific place - whether it’s a spare room or the corner of your living room, make it yours. The key is to designate this place as one solely dedicated to your work. Think it through and make it personal. What type of environment do you work best in? One with white noise? One without the temptation of the TV? It doesn’t have to be extravagant, just a simple place without too much distraction and where you can concentrate.

Stay clutter-free
It’s hard to have a clear mind if you have to shuffle through paper and untangle wires every time you simply to start a task. Just because you’re free from the judgement of office co-workers doesn’t mean the collection of cups by your computer is helping your productivity.

Give yourself a break
Coffee breaks, chats with co-workers in the corridor and face to face meetings are all important interruptions of daily office life that don’t exist in the home environment. So small breaks are essential to keep you focused, motivated and healthy. Make sure you get up, get some air, move around every now and then.
When you’re working from home the taking care of your mental health is entirely down to you. Some helpful ways to do this include investing in a comfortable chair, put some plants or herbs near your desk to keep it fresh with a touch of the outdoors or liven up your space candle. We love our LIGHT MY FIRE aromatherapy candle that scents the air with the energising and refreshing fragrance of including clary sage to help with mental clarity and grapefruit, ginger, orange, peppermint and bergamot to keep your mind fresh.

Keep a daily routine
Dragging yourself out of bed last-minute to work on your sofa in your PJ’s has probably worn a bit thin by now. One of the best ways to keep your spirits and productivity high is to mimic your old work routine.
This means structuring your day so that you have time to wake up properly, get dressed, have your breakfast and start work at the same time you usually would. If you can, set up your workspace similarly to how you had it in the office, take your normal lunch breaks and turn off non-essential notifications after hours. That bit is really important, don’t let you day displace and drag on into the evening. Pack up your office at the normal time.
Irrespective of what’s going on in your life getting a good night’s sleep is the key to your physical and mental health. But in these uncertain times it’s even more important to take care of yourself. A relaxing evening routine can help you unwind, alleviate the stress of the day and let’s face it the news too and make the most of your 8 hours.

Make mental & physical health a priority
Working at home to you might mean on a laptop in bed while others may prefer to slouch on the sofa or perch on the breakfast. The trouble is that by mid-afternoon, these positions will leave your lower back aching, your neck sore, your eyes tired and your muscles sore all over. Turns out those lumbar-supporting chairs in your office do have some advantages after all. To help combat those aches and pains, Hollie,  one of our Training Managers shows how, in just 5 minutes, you can combat those aches and pains with some simple stretches.

It’s essential that you take time to invest in your skin health and your soul health. You’ll not only feel better, you’ll look better; good all-round health also allows you to work better. Check out Liz’s wellness in the home video

Stock up.
We’re not meaning toilet paper. Think through what you need to work best without interruptions. This could mean having a stocked fridge ready for your lunch break
or having a backup supply of coffee, milk and drinks that will help you stay hydrated and alert.
Working from home is an adjustment but planning out your ideal remote environment is the best way to avoid distractions and keep your focus.

Stay positive
Everyone is affected by COVID-19 differently. At Temple Spa we like to think that if you have a job, a home and food on your table, you are especially fortunate. But this doesn’t mean you should feel guilty if you’re strug-gling a bit and finding life a bit challenging. We’re encouraging all of our home workers to embrace this time and try to see some good in self isolation.
Rather than moving from your computer screen to your TV screen on a daily basis think about doing something you’ve always wanted to do. A new hobby you always wanted to pick up, a skill you always wished you had but never got around to starting. Or even that messy drawer you always wanted to tidy but always found an excuse not to. It’s amazing how putting your mind to some-thing and positively doing it is motivating not to mention very, very satisfying.