Barratt Developments, WhatHouse? Housebuilder of the Year 2019, has compiled a list of top tips for making the best of your workspace at home.
Working at home comes with many benefits, however there are also a number of challenges to be navigated when moving your office to your own retreat.
Create the right workspace
Getting your workspace just right is a crucial part of working from home. You should set up somewhere warm and comfortable with good lighting where you feel you can be productive.
Make sure you have everything you need before you start work for the day, including a good internet connection and access to any communication tools you need to contact colleagues.
A chaotic working environment is the enemy of productivity so get organised and avoid having clutter and mess nearby.
Separate your work and living spaces
Making a clear distinction between the places where you relax and work is vital in preventing your focus from slipping.
Avoid working from bed or the sofa and instead have a dedicated work room or surface that you associate with getting tasks achieved. This will stop lapses in concentration and will make it easier for you to relax once your work is finished.
Be disciplined with your time
Making a schedule will not only help to ensure you stick to your working hours, but will also make sure you give yourself proper breaks.
With the kitchen nearby, it can be tempting to work through lunch and not take regular breaks when working from home, but studies have shown that taking regular short intervals as well as a lunch break will actually boost productivity.
Planning these pauses in work in advance will help you keep a regular and healthy routine and while giving structure to your working day.
Enjoy your own space while maintaining standards
Working from home means you get to enjoy home comforts. A fully equipped kitchen means lunchtimes can be enjoyed to the full while heating and lighting can be adjusted to suit you.
However, it is important to maintain a sense of starting and ending a working day by getting up and dressed at the same time every morning and not working in the same clothes you slept in.
Staying in pyjamas might seem like a good idea, but sticking to a routine will help you to stay structured and productive throughout every working day.
Set clear goals for yourself
Without being in an office environment and working in the middle of a team, it can be difficult to stay motivated, however making a list of goals at the start of every day will give you something to work towards.
Structure and productivity go hand in hand and achieving regular goals will help you to focus and stay on track.
Barratt Homes, Barratt London and David Wilson Homes have all been inspiring home workers with some brilliant office layouts at show homes across the country.
This offers a collection of two-, three- and four-bedroom homes located on the outskirts of Faversham. The development itself provides easy access to walking and cycle routes, and includes play areas, allotments and an on-site orchard. The town centre offers a collection of vintage shops, and traditional cafes, restaurants and pubs. There are also regular markets in the high street. Alongside excellent rail links, with Faversham station just a mile away, Perry Court is well served by road connections too, with the nearby A2 and M2 providing direct routes either to the M25 or south to Canterbury and Dover. The ‘Kingsley’ is a three-bedroom house with a separate study upstairs, is priced from £397,995 and is available with Help to Buy.
In Rudheath, near Northwich, this has a range of three-and four-bedroom homes ideal for families and young professionals. Only 10 minutes from the station and 30 minutes from Manchester Airport, it’s also with easy reach of numerous major roads and cities as well as open countryside and Delamere Forest. Prices range from £225,995 to £385,995, with some homes ready to move into now. Part Exchange is available on selected plots. The ‘Tamerton’ is a show home here, with four bedrooms, utility room to the kitchen, separate dining room and on the ground floor, a dedicated study.
In a semi-rural setting on the outskirts of the market town of Hexham is this collection of three-, four- and five-bedroom homes. Though 80% are now sold, there’s still plenty of choice of house types to suit different requirements and budgets. Help to Buy and Part Exchange are options on remaining homes, which are current priced between £293,995 to £494,995. The shops and places to eat in the town are within walking distance, and these homes are close to Ofsted 'Outstanding' schools. There’s easy access to Newcastle via the A69. One of the show homes is the three-bedroom ‘Chapelford’, with open-plan kitchen/dining room, living room and study on the ground floor. Two of the bedrooms are doubles (with en suite to the master) and the other single, offering more flexible space.
The recently launched Boathouse Apartments are located at Barratt London’s Hendon Waterside development. There are 43 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments on the bank of the Welsh Harp reservoir, with leafy green views. Hendon railway station is a seven-minute walk away and offers services to London St Pancras International in just 17 minutes, while nearby Hendon Central Tube station on the Northern line, with speedy services to Euston, and the Brent Cross shopping centre is only a 10-minute bus ride away. The Boathouse Apartments currently start from £380,000 for a one-bedroom apartment. Reserve Plot 420, the featured home this August, and Barratt will include a John Lewis & Partners furniture pack to help you settle into your new home.