WFH with Wemyss June 4, 2020

#WFH with Wemyss

Work from home (WFH) is the reality for more of us than ever before. Whether you’re a total novice or a #WFH veteran (and we’ve got plenty of both at Wemyss!), we’ve all faced new challenges in daily working. As is our way, we’ve embraced them creatively.

We thought we’d round up some of the Wemyss team to find out their best WFH tips – although there were mentions of wine breaks, we managed to find a few pearls of wisdom in there:

Keep On Moving …

• “Stick on some good music and have a dance along when you feel like it.”

• “Use a smaller glass or mug at your desk, so that you have to regularly break to top it up.”

• “Without the studio set-up, I’ve really enjoyed taking the photography part of my job outside. Have found some nice spots right on my doorstep – wish I’d done it more before.”

Breaks, breaks, breaks!

• “Take breaks away from the screen, even for 5 minutes.”

• “I’m lucky that I have a garden, so I try to go out there for a drink 3 to 4 times a day.”

• “Always take a lunch break – walk to the shop or go around the block [bonus points if the shop sells ice cream]. ”

• “If I’m struggling to focus, I find the Pomodoro Technique – work for 25 mins, break for 5 – pretty helpful.”

• “When the day has ended, ensure it has.”

On combatting loneliness …

• “Try to pick up the phone whenever possible, instead of relying on emails.”

• “Pets are great company.”

• “When on Microsoft teams remember you cannot swipe left or right.”

Many of us are juggling a lot of extra things right now and it’s important to ease the pressure:

• “Stay flexible, especially with children and home schooling.”

• “This is all completely new – both WFH and home-schooling. Take that crazy list of things you expect to get done today, and half that.”

• “Don’t feel guilty about letting the kids play Xbox while you have online meetings.”

The office set-up really matters:

• “Make sure you have an ergonomic set-up: comfy chair, everything at the right height.”

• “Natural light is your friend – work the room so that your desk is in the best spot. It’s where you’ll be for most of the daylight hours, anyway.”

• “If possible, try and create a separate space for work where you can close the door and really feel like you’ve went home for the day.”

 … and of course, we can’t overestimate the importance of snacks (which seems to be dividing the team):

• “Biscuit breaks get you through the day – and toast. I’ve never eaten so much toast.”

• “Lock up the biscuit barrel!”

This one was more about surviving lockdown in general, but it was too good to keep off the list:

“Remember social distancing – this can be achieved by carrying an Adli bag while in Waitrose.”

Let us know if any of these have helped you to get through the #WFH day or if you’ve got any tips to top them!