Some practical welfare guidance when working from home

/in ,
  • Working remotely can provide great opportunities for school leaders in terms of work-life balance and productivity. However, it is vital to maintain regular work hours, to set a daily schedule and to stick to it.
  • Create a dedicated work space that is airy, well lit, bright and comfortable. Have a suitable chair and arrange the equipment you will need (laptop, chargers, phone, headphones, pen and paper, etc.) to undertake your work efficiently and productively.
  • Be positive in your communications with fellow staff and students – difficult to interpret your tone without face time so it is important that you be as positive as possible when working remotely.
  • Schedule breaks if working for an extended period of time and take them in their entirety.
  • Avoid feeling isolated. Social interaction is a very important part of the school workplace and working from home means that the ability to interact with colleagues is suddenly gone. There are many free video platforms that allow for multiple participants to connect via video link and it is nicer to talk than to text — Facetime, Skype, WhatsApp, Google Hangouts and Slack among others.
  • Do not allow working from home to be invasive on your personal life – set specific work hours and stick to them. Exercise regularly.
  • Stay on task by quickly writing down your daily priorities and all the things that you need to get done. When working from home and you are not working to a timetable or set schedule so it can be challenging to keep track of what you have to do throughout your workday. It is easy to lose sight of priorities, tasks, and deadlines. Set goals and time limits for each task. After you complete each task, cross it off the list. This simple technique is both effective and fulfilling.
  • It is best to set some clear boundaries with your family while you work from home. It is not being mean if it results in the best use of your time and a better outcome for the students.
  • Stay vigilant against security risks and take all necessary care to work securely. Computers should be secured and protected with security programmes and passwords.
  • Comply with relevant data protection guidelines.
  • Confirm that school insurance extends to homeworking.
  • Finally, stay safe and healthy during this pandemic. It will eventually pass!