Lauren Laverne and lentil bites – my secrets for successful homeworking

So that’s it then, we’re all on lock down for the next few weeks, at least. For the lucky amongst that means we can work from home, although if you’re used to the sanctuary of your office, you might not be relishing the change of environment.

I’ve been working from home on and off for over a decade now, so here are my tips on getting through the day. I’m not saying they will work for everyone, but they work for me!

1. Check my emails and social feeds in bed: It gets me up to speed quickly and eases me into the day nicely – much better than juggling my phone on the bus or tube. It’s especially good with a cup of tea and BBC Breakfast burbling in the background.
2. Listen to Lauren Laverne on BBC Radio 6 Music: This show is worth the licence fee alone. A proper community spirit to start my day, with an eclectic music choice that makes me feel like I’m 16 again. But without a moped. Also, Spotify is a must have.
3. Do my writing and thinking in the morning: I regularly start work at 7am in my Jim-Jams and then plough on through until late morning. When the muse strikes, you need to go with it and not disrupt the flow with trivial things like showering. Also, good if you’re doing intermittent fasting. Which I’m not, BTW.
4. Have designated laundry days: I love doing the washing (honestly) so I don’t splurge it all on Monday morning. I have designated days to look forward to (Wednesday for darks and Friday for lights, since you’re asking). My favourite part of laundry is the Tetris like arranging of wet clothes on the airer.
5. Stop for lunch at 12.55: That way I catch the last five minutes of Bargain Hunt before the BBC News at 1pm. Any more than five minutes is dangerous. I always make sure I’m back at my desk before Doctors begins. I’m not a student.
6. Stock up on low carb, carby snacks: Chocolate is my snack of choice, but working from home risks me consuming my bodyweight in Galaxy, before moving on to cheaper “supermarket” chocolate. Instead I go for Aldi’s hummus and lentil bites – they have a decent carbo hit, but taste enough like cardboard for one packet to suffice, at only around 100 calories.
7. Work for as long as I want to: Potentially controversial – and of course you need to know when to switch off and separate work from home – but if I’m on a roll and cranking out the work, I’ll often be sitting at my desk gone 6pm. Having said that, if the tank starts to run empty earlier, then I definitely call it a day.
8. My final tip – ignore all of the above: This works for me. We all have different personal circumstances – juggling kids and family demands – and different mindsets – 5am yoga and dressing to impress from your home office. But this is unchartered territory for many people, so do whatever it takes to get you through the day! And #StaySafe

Paul Beadle is MRM’s Head of Social Media and Digital Communications – you can follow him on Twitter @PaulBeadle and MRM on @MRMComms