Working from home: tips from the pros

In the last few weeks, thousands of people have had to start working from home for the first time in their career. And many are still struggling to handle this drastic change in their environment. For some though, it's just business as usual. Over 90% of translators work from home all year long, so they definitely qualify as experts on the matter. Here are some of their tips…

An office away from the office

The first thing to do is to find a spot in your home where you feel comfortable to work. It might seem obvious, but a desk and a good chair are a must. You are spending most of your day sitting in front of your computer and you will quickly start feeling aches and tiredness if you do not have the right seating arrangement. The sofa might be tempting, but it is no long-term solution...

Isolation in isolation

If you can, find a room or a space where you will be able to separate yourself from the rest of the household. The primary reason seems obvious: you don’t necessarily want your cat to jump on your keyboard or your kid to burst in during that important meeting with your client. Setting physical boundaries will help little ones understand that they should not interrupt. Well, at least we can hope so...

Don’t forget to switch off

Having a “designated area” will also help you keep work and life separate. Contrarily to popular belief, when in their home, most people tend to work longer hours. It’s so easy to just answer a few more emails or spend a bit longer on finishing that report. Keeping separate spaces means you can maintain the balance.

Dress up

It has been a few weeks, a few months for some, and you are starting to think that your pyjamas are a suitable option for work. Don’t give up on your clothes! This might seem trivial, but the way you present yourself does affect the way you think and the way you express yourself.

One exception though: every year, on April 16, it's 'wear your pyjamas at work day'. So don't forget to celebrate in style! 2020 should be no exception.

We love a good routine!

And no, I am not talking about Strictly come dancing! Having a routine every morning puts you in the right frame of mind to start the day. Make a cup of your favourite coffee, read the news, have a 15-minute yoga session… Or even drive around the block pretending to go to the office. Whatever works for you!

Give yourself a break

You are spending 8 hours of your day in your seat. No meeting to physically go to, no eating with the colleagues at lunch time, no chitchat at the coffee machine. If you want to keep constant levels of mental and physical energy, you must break up your day. Go for a walk if you can or do few simple stretches at your desk. Just disconnect for a few minutes and get the blood flowing.

Communicate differently

Rethink the way you communicate. By now, video conferencing is probably replacing most face-to-face communications in your company. But not everybody is comfortable with the camera. Always try to engage every participant in the conversation. And if you work internationally, think of the culture gap. Some people might feel that it is inappropriate to speak up when they have not understood an element of the conversation. So, during video calls, make sure that everybody speaks clearly and in turn. And always follow-up with a short email summarising the minutes.

We hope you'll find these useful. Stay safe!

The Word Avenue Team