So, you’re back in your bedroom office or at your sofa desk, working from home for the next few weeks. Or maybe you never made it back to the workplace at all – either way, working from home during the cold, dark winter months is quite a bit different from the heady days of summer.
To stop your heating bill soaring and the seasonal sadness setting in when it gets dark at 3pm, we’ve put together a little guide to surviving home working during winter. Take a look at our tips…
Keep warm while you work
Heating your entire house 24/7 is not ideal, but working in a freezing cold room will see your productivity plummet alongside the temperature. As the weather gets colder, there are plenty of ways to keep warm at home:
- Work from the sunniest room in the house. We get plenty of crisp, sunny days through winter, and if you can sit in sunlight all day, you’ll benefit from both the warmth and the light.
- Layer up. Don’t go pushing the thermostat up while wandering around in a t-shirt – choose multiple light layers to trap heat and keep you toasty. Slippers are key here!
- Try a hot water bottle. Trust us – cuddling one of these will make aaaall the difference!
- Move your body. Sitting still for hours on end will help the cold set in, so get up and have a walk around when you can.
Turn up the lights
One of the worst things about winter is the darkness drawing in so early. Working in a dark, dingy room is really demotivating, and you might find your enthusiasm for tasks waning as the afternoon draws on. A daylight lamp can really help – rather than flat, artificial light, it mimics natural light and will help keep the darkness at bay throughout the day.
Treat yourself to lunch
The monotony of working from home when you can’t escape for a sunny walk or trip to the shops can soon set in. Break up the day by always taking a proper lunch break, and using that time to whip up something really tasty. Whether it’s homemade soup with freshly baked bread or just a ham sandwich, savour the time away from your screen.
Switch up your home comforts
In summer, we were all about that Instagrammable desk space, the ergonomic-yet-elegant chair and those framed motivational prints on the wall. For winter, switch to comfort – chunky knitted blankets, soft velvet cushions, cashmere socks and warmly scented candles will make your workspace feel super cosy.
