Our Fashion Contributor Emma is the owner and designer at White Ginger. Here she shares her tips for working from home. When I moved from Singapore to the UK, working from home became the norm. So life under lockdown is not too different for me on the work front. But, I understand that for many, working from home could be a new and quite drastic life change. Over the years I learned to discipline myself for productivity. Here I'm sharing a few things I've learned along the way.
Get ready
This sounds obvious but honestly getting dressed for the part makes such a difference. With the time difference between Singapore and the UK, I often get caught out with early morning calls in my pjs, but I am never at my best until fully clothed. I don’t have to dress smart for video calls, but it helps to feel professional. I think I must have inherited this from my mother, who always comes down glamorously dressed and in full make up for breakfast!
Set out a clear work space
I am very lucky to have our barn as an office. Just those few steps across the patio give the sense of “walking to work." It is a lovely open space and I try and keep a tidy desk. If you don’t have the luxury of a separate office, use any quiet area you can dedicate as a work space and try to keep a clean desk. (We can ignore the mess in the drawers!)
Routine mania
I am a devout creature of habit. Work starts at nine, coffee break at 11, lunch at 1, and so it goes on. Woe be to anyone who gets in the way of my routine. (Dog walk at 10.30? Have you gone mad?!) It is important to set work hours and stick to them. Try to include regular breaks and fresh air. Walking my beloved beagle, Monty, is my reward late afternoon. Running your own business at the best of times often means sneakily replying to emails at 10pm, but I try and avoid this as much as possible. Where you can, try and have a cut off point. My one golden rule is I never take my lap top to bed!
To do lists
I am an old fashioned paper and pen girl. I can't go anywhere without my A5 page-a-day-diary. I start each morning with a new to-do list. Often things are carried over from the day before, but I try to list in order of importance. I find it very satisfying crossing items out. There are so many online tools for shared task lists, but I didn’t last long at my attempts at those, who needs more email reminders of what to do?!
Enhance your environment
Faux florals and room diffusers are delightful ways to make your work space more enjoyable. Cochine’s Agarwood & Amber scent gives a warm and sensuous aroma reminiscent of Asia (it is also our store signature scent so it brings me about as close as I can get to our four little walls in Singapore). Faux hydrangea and orchids are everywhere in our house—green fingered I am most definitely not! As expensive as they may seem initially, their durability makes them a cost-effective investment.