We
take a timely look through our archive of house features for expert advice on
how to work from home, as told by home-based artists, creatives, designers and
writers.

Commute
Getting out in the fresh air before your working day starts can add structure and routine to your day, plus you’ll be topping up those vitamin D levels, which might run low if you stay cooped up. “I get up and walk my dog Winnie for an hour – it’s my walk to work,” says jewellery designer Neil Marlow.

Designate some space
Don’t be tempted to email in bed. Instead, assign an area in your home for working, and don’t let the boundaries start blurring. “We created a study area in the middle of the house downstairs because I’m not keen on laptops on the kitchen table,” says scientist Katy Davidson. “It means that there is a separation between work and life.”

Even if you have a small space and don’t enjoy the luxury of separate floors, this can still be achieved with some clever storage. “When I’m not out on a photo shoot I work from home, so it’s really important for me to have a workspace that’s divided from my main living area, as we only have a one-bedroom flat. This is why I love Vitsoe so much – it allows me to have a beautifully arranged storage system, as well as a functional and minimalist work station that doesn’t encroach on the rest of the room,” said Anton Rodriguez when we visited him at his Barbican flat.

Make yourself at home
Away from the office, the possibilities for decorative self-expression extend well beyond a small cactus on your desk. Talking of her writing room, author Rachel Cusk says, “Whether I work in there or not, it feels like a real home. It feels like my home, that only belongs to me.” With no co-workers to think about, you are free to crank up the heating or open the window; listen to the radio station no one else in the office likes or work in silence, and make the coffee (or tea) just as you like.

Let the light in
If you can, try and position your working desk next to a window. As Della Burnside explains, her desk is positioned in front of glass doors for a view of the outside – “it’s a really pleasurable space. I can open the door and see the trees and the church; it’s really nice and calming,” she explains.

Founders
of architecture-for-wellbeing studio Ekkist, Olga Turner and
Jonathan Baker,
agree. “We split our working time between meetings in London and working from
our home studio. We each have a window, which helps with our concentration and
circadian rhythm.” Sitting in a windowless room is never going to boost your
mood or productivity levels, but the prospect of eight hours sans daylight is
only going to make the working day more strenuous.

Enjoy the flexibility
Ok, it might not be what your manager had in mind, but the prospect of working from home brings with it the opportunity to plan a day on your own terms. As Kenny Holmes explains from his live/work country house, “when we finished the studio the journey to my desk only took 30 seconds, my day was freed up and I could work more flexibly. I was able to do a couple of hours work then felt comfortable heading off for a gentle dog walk or a more energetic cycle, before picking up work again later. It’s just nice to have a bit more freedom in the day, without a rigid routine.” Just make sure you don’t miss that important 11am conference call.

The garden is your meeting room
Come summer, when the temperature is more conducive to being outside, why not open the back doors and set up shop on the patio? “I always say that the garden is the best room in my house,” explains art director Tom O’Dell. “Last summer, with the heat we had, I could sit out with my laptop and work out there. The grass came out, and the grapes on the vines were growing, it was great.”

The possibilities of lunch
Lastly, here’s a tip from us. Away from the office, unshackled are you from the tyranny of the same sandwich shop you’ve been going to for years. Enjoy the endless culinary possibilities being at home affords and feed yourself in a way you never could with the only the office’s microwave and kettle. If you’re stuck for ideas, a look through our archive of recipes should be food for thought.