Working remotely works for me because I set a schedule and stick by it. This means being at my desk by a certain time in the morning, but it also means setting a time when I down tools and stop working. If I must work late, I make sure that I catch up on my rest the following day.

My favourite pastime is golf. Anyone who has ever played the game will tell you that one of the hardest things to do when playing golf is to start the golf swing.

Many players – including professionals – have unique triggers that start the swing but are not actually part of or necessary elements of the golf swing. Rory McIlroy moves his right thumb to the left of the golf grip just before his swing starts, while Tiger Woods often triggers his swing by the slight movement of his right knee towards his left leg.

You need to find the trigger that gets you in front of your desk before the time you are due to start working remotely. For me that’s making a cup of Earl Grey tea and taking it to my desk and turning on my computer.

To be successful you need to create a dedicated office area that is away from anything that could potentially distract you. If this isn’t possible then see point #4) below. It also means avoiding distractions such as Facebook, Snapchat and for those of you who are single –Match.com.

Try and set ground rules with anyone else who lives in your house. Although it is often not easy to do this with children, it is important to try.  Set projects for others to do while you need to work and make sure that they understand the importance you attach to doing the work you need to do – after all that’s what pays the bills.

If you need help don’t be afraid to ask your employer for the items that you need in order to do your job.

Fresh air is important especially when you are on lockdown. Use the structured breaks mentioned in point # 7 below to get some fresh air.

Make sure to allocate regular breaks into your working day.  If you would normally make a cup of coffee at 11am when you are in the office, then structure a break for this time so that you can do the same when working from home. Make sure that your breaks have structure. This means setting a time limit and perhaps setting another “trigger” to get you back at your desk ready to recommence work.

Technology is a wonderful thing, therefore make use of the tools available – WhatsApp, GoToMeeting, Facetime etc. – to maintain contact with your remote colleagues and don’t be frightened to use them for non-working purposes. We are all in this together so there is nothing wrong with contacting them to make sure they are okay.

This isn’t so relevant to the current situation that many of you now face but if you are a professional remote worker like me then it is important to physically visit your colleagues as often as possible. I manage to do this at least twice per year and I am separated from my colleagues by the Atlantic Ocean.

It’s important to let your colleagues (and especially the people you report to) know if you are not going to be available for a period. Accordingly, if I am going to be away from my desk for more than a few hours I always send an email advising as such.

Working remotely means lots of online meetings. It is important that you “attend” those meetings. If you have something to say, then don’t be afraid to voice your opinion. There is nothing worse than feeling you have something to contribute but then not speaking.

If your employer offers online training while you are working remotely it is important that you attend those training sessions. At Firstline, since everyone started working remotely, we have had two training sessions on subjects specifically important to the nature of our business but not related to the practice of remote working.

It’s important to surround yourself with healthy snacks and drinks. For me that means fruit and water, but I also have a Tassimo Machine next to my desk if I need a shot of coffee to keep me going.

Working remotely has the advantage of providing you with a high degree of freedom.

If you feel your productivity would be improved by re-enacting the Hugh Grant dancing scene from the film Love Actually then you can do that in the privacy of your home. You can probably also do it in the office, but your colleagues might not be impressed.

Take the opportunity to call your colleagues as often as necessary especially if you are used to seeing them every day. While calls will often be work-related there is nothing wrong with calling a colleague to check that they are okay or to enquire if they need help with anything.

Just as I have a trigger to start my day, I also have one that ends it.  At 10pm precisely my phone goes onto its charger and won’t disturb me again before 7am the next day.

That’s the simple trigger that ends my working day. It works for me, but you must find one that works for you. By the way 10 pm is when I go to bed. I don’t get up again until the alarm wakes me at 7.00am the next day. Rest is important as well.

If you don’t feel well then you won’t be productive. Our bodies need time to recover and heal so if you are feeling sick be sure to rest and follow the instructions of your medical practitioner.

One of the worst things about the Coronavirus is that it is very easy to convince yourself that you have it.  It is also very easy to panic and get nervous. There are no easy cures, but you must find a way to be positive and relax.

I have always suffered from stress and I cope by taking a break and concentrating on controlling my breathing.  I also read an enormous number of books and I find that the simple act of reading a good book helps too.