Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information

Supporting you through the COVID-19 disruption.

The disruption caused to small businesses by the COVID-19 crisis has come as a shock to us all but please be reassured that, Garage Services Online are here to support you. We are still working away in the background ensuring that everything our end is running smoothly so that you can concentrate on looking after your business.

We’re happy to post updates on your website if your working hours or practices have had to change due to the COVID outbreak. Just give us a call on 01423 855902 or email us at servicedesk@garage-services.co.uk

How to Organise your Home-Working Set-up.

During these unsettling times, thousands of us find ourselves running our business from home. When we’re used to spending most of our working hours in the office, in the garage or on the shop floor, the sudden requirement to work from home can prove a challenge for many.

The worry about the potential effects of this crisis on our business is huge, so one thing we can do to have some control over the situation is to make sure that our home-working set-up is well organised.

Here are some ideas how to be more organised:

Set yourself clear, realistic goals. The key to ending the working day fulfilled, is to set yourself tasks with a realistic expectation of how long each task will take. There’s no point just making a big long list of things you have to do. Prioritise and think about how long each task will take and build your daily and weekly schedule around it. That way, you are more likely to achieve those goals and you’ll feel a lot better for it.

Focus, don’t try to multi-task. At the beginning of the week, take some time to schedule your most important tasks for each day. Set out a couple of hours for example, each day to focus on a particular task. Don’t let yourself drift into another task however more interesting or straightforward it may seem compared to the task that you’re supposed to be working on. Switching back and forward between tasks will just clog up your brain. Focus on the task in hand.

Switch off distractions. Clearly some distractions such as children, are not easy to switch off but what you can do is look at the apps on your phone and turn off all notifications so that you’re not being distracted by pings all day. Refocussing after glancing at the latest notification on your phone, can take up to 20 minutes – it’s just wasted time. Unnecessarily long meetings can also be a distraction; first of all, what is your role at the meeting? Are you really needed? If you are, ensure there is a set agenda to minimise time spent at the meeting. Think how many hours you could save each month by cutting 15 minutes off each meeting.

Organised desk = organised mind. A clean, tidy workspace will boost your productivity and your morale. It’s very difficult to focus on one task if your desk is littered with all the other things you have to deal with. Tidy up your desk, make sure it’s clean and now you can find the things you need to focus on the task you’re doing with less distraction and as a result, more success.

Take stock of your success at the end of the week. Spend 10 minutes at the end of the week looking back at your successes and reviewing what has worked for you. Now, leave your work space – pack it all away if it’s in a communal space – put your feet up and take some time for you – have a cup of tea, a glass of wine, go outside for a walk – whatever works for you. But, importantly, you’ve made it through and this in itself, is a success.