Since the beginning of the pandemic, working from home has become part of the ‘new normal’. With the government urging workers not to return to their offices, more people are doing their jobs from the comfort of their own home. Whilst remote working is not a new concept, professionals are having to adapt to this new style of work. It’s safe to say it has brought with it several challenges.

 

Work from home challenges

As we are now surrounded by home comforts in our everyday working lives, our distractions at work have multiplied. And with the kids running around, it’s no wonder we can’t focus! This feeling of demotivation and stress begins to extend past working hours once we close our laptops and realise how many chores need doing. Subconsciously, visual mess in our homes adds to our stress more than we realise. An untidy background means our brain must work twice as hard to concentrate on the task at hand. With more distractions and less motivation, our productivity is at risk of falling flat.

A mental challenge we face from working at home is the lack of socialisation and change of scenery. The office can be an escape from the mess and worries of the household. Bearing this in mind, it’s normal for our mental health to suffer from the extra time we are spending at home. Research shows that clutter within the home is likely to have a negative impact on our mental health, with people feeling more depressed and anxious. It makes it difficult to focus and concentrate which can have a knock-on effect at work. As our cleanliness mimics our mood and the lines between home and office become blurred, our environment can become extremely disorganised and unclean. This only further adds to our stress and anxieties.

A final problem with working from home is the increase of germs in our homes. With the backdrop of the pandemic, hygiene is increasingly more important to us all. We are spending more time at our dining tables and makeshift home offices which is breeding more bacteria in our household. Our offices are cleaned daily so there’s no reason why your home office shouldn’t receive the same care and attention.

 

The solution

A solution to these challenges is simply through cleaning and organisation. A mindset everyone can apply is to consider your desk or dining table as a mini office, rather than an extension of your home. If we put more time and effort into cleaning our workstation, we can alleviate this unnecessary stress and create a healthier working environment. Whether you clean your workspace yourself or hire a home cleaner to help, a tidy desk will make you feel accomplished and ready to work. We’d like to share TidyChoice’s best tips and tricks for organising and cleaning your home office.

 

Organising your workspace

Work can seem like it’s not only taking over your mind, but your home too. Try dedicating a space, such as a shelf or a filing cabinet, just for your work documents and keep your work electronics together. Make sure you organise your desk at the end of every working day, so you’re prepared for the next. A top tip is to try digital cleaning! Take some time out to tidy up and reorganise your files. You can also digitally scan any documents lying around to clear up space.

Cleaning electronic screens

Now we are not only using our laptop for Netflix and Amazon orders but also for work, it’s best we start cleaning them more regularly! Before cleaning, make sure your electronics are switched off. Special electronics wipes are great for the job as they are anti-static. For a gentler clean, try a microfibre cloth and a screen-friendly spray on your devices.

Cleaning keyboards

It’s not a simple task to get in between the crevices of our keyboards, however there are everyday items you can utilise. Cotton buds are great to unclog dirt and dust in those small gaps. For a thorough clean, you’re going to need a butter knife and some white-wine vinegar. Mix water with white vinegar in equal proportions and dampen a microfibre cloth with the solution. Then cover the edges of the butter knife with this same cloth. Use the knife to clean in and around the keys and buttons.

Cleaning your headphones or headset

It’s no secret that headphones can be dirty, particularly in-ear ones. Take this as a sign to replace any silicone earbuds your headphones might have! Grab those cotton buds again and use them to unclog any dirt or dust in your headphone speakers. Then lightly dampen a cloth with a bit of hand-sanitiser and give the wires and the outside a wipe. The same can be done for foam ear pads of over-the-ear headphones. Just remove them, wipe them and make sure they’re completely dry before re-attaching them.

Check out our blog to learn about our other tips for cleaning your laptop and other electronic devices.

 

Conclusion

We understand these are challenging times for everybody. Cleaning is easier said than done when you have to juggle working from home and looking after your kids who are off school. But who says you have to give up any of your free time? If you’re somebody who struggles to find the time or the motivation for cleaning, why not book domestic cleaning services with TidyChoice? Home cleaning services are a way in which you can make your mental wellbeing and productivity a priority. Professional cleaners are here to make working from home that little bit easier. We cover the whole of Central London and much of Greater London. So book today to enjoy that stress free feeling!