I am working from home. I would rather not be. I have never, ever, fantasised about delivering online lessons in althleisurewear from my kitchen table or from under a duvet.
I realise that I’m very lucky to have a job, and home to work from. However, privilege doesn’t prevent people moaning, and I’m no exception. Similarly, the fact that I’m fed up with the flood of advice on how to work from home won’t stop me adding to it.
So here we go!
Tip one. It is perfectly ok to shout and scream at your computer, but do not hit it.
Violence gets you nowhere. In particular, violence gets you nowhere when you no longer have a nice helpful technical expert who can replace the kit when it gets broken.
Tip two. Keep something absorbent near your computer
Crammed into an unsuitable space, at some point your beverage of choice will spill over your keyboard. Accept this as inevitable, and be prepared.
Tip three. Continue drinking your beverage of choice.
All too soon we’ll be reduced to boiled water and dry biscuit, so let’s enjoy little luxuries while we can.
Tip four It is still ok to get distracted by the internet.
If that
cute labrador video is what you need to get you through the online meeting on business continuity planning, watch it. Perhaps while the meeting is actually in progress. People will think you are laughing at their jokes rather than the doggies' lovable antics, so it's win-win.
Tip five. You don't have to be more sociable than you were before.
Slack. Facetime. Zoom. Skype. Whatsapp. Whereby. Collaborate. All those Google thingummies. There is no end to the way people can pop their virtual heads round the pixelated door. If your previous idea of a sociable day was a 5 minute chat in the office kitchen when your coffee making happened to coincide with someone else's, just say no to this always-on mania.
Tip six. Nor do you have to take up meditation, mindfulness, yoga, podcasting, or decaffeinated tea.
Unless you want to, obviously.
Tip seven. If you think working from home is ... not ideal, don’t feel obliged to say it’s a dream come true.
You can see I'm taking my own advice on this one.
And so that my wonderful colleagues, and my employer, don't write me off as a total curmudgeon, this is just an adverse reaction to all those irritating "top tips" articles, tweets and blog posts! And showing I can do one that's just as irritating!
Stay safe - and information literate!
