Working from Home — 5 Tips to Stay in Balance
Nevertheless, even though we do love our home office, it can also get challenging due to lacking routines and schedules. This is why we want to share our 5 best tips to get the most out of your home office.
01 Keep a clear schedule
Without classic procedures such as putting on nice clothes, taking your coffee to go and using the underground to get to your workplace, it can get very easy for you to get lost at the very beginning of your working day.
Make sure to decide on a specific time when you want to start working but also finish your work day. Establish break times for lunch, coffee and maybe a little exercise in between. We know that it is tempting to stay in your favorite sweatpants and hoodie, but getting dressed like you would do when going to the office also helps at introducing more structure and routine to your working day.
We also figured out that having clear pre-work routines helps to get in your flow. Whether it is sipping a freshly brewed coffee on your balcony whilst reading the news, doing some sun salutations or journaling for a couple of minutes, make sure to start your day with something that sparks joy while keeping you motivated to get going and switch into work mode.
02 Keep regular breaks
Being home alone without no distractions and colleagues can be a soothing gift when it comes to your concentration and productivity level. Yet, having no colleagues around who will remind you of taking a coffee or lunch break, it is quite easy to simply forget to rest. Whether it is a fixed time that you decide on or a specific moment, e.g. after finishing that project report, make sure to stop your work and clear your mind. Go out for a little walk, make yourself a nice cup of coffee, or even take time to cook lunch. Break out of your working mode and mindset for a little while to refill your batteries.
03 Check in daily with your team
Everyone says that crew love is true love, right? Especially when working home alone without a partner or flatmate being around, it is important to keep socializing and connecting with your teammates. In the end, team spirit is everything when it comes to creating a sustainable workplace.
We like to start our work days with a daily check-in aka digital coffee date. This way we can get the feedback we need, catch up on our colleagues projects, thoughts and ideas and also feel like the part of a bigger picture that we are.
04 Find your dedicated working area
It is obviously pretty cool to be able to work from your balcony or couch because you’re at home and nobody cares where you’re working. Yet, switching from place to place will keep you distracted and also blur the lines between your home and office.
Try to find a dedicated spot in your home that is going to be your working place. Keep it free of books, shopping lists or your laundry waiting to be folded. Simply keep it free of any distractions that might disturb your workflow.
05 Take time to socialize after work
Be it digitally or in the real world — meet your workmates and friends for a well earned closing time beer or join a fitness class together. Home office can get lonely — but only if you opt for it. Enjoy the calmness and solitude throughout your working day but connect with people afterwards and during your weekends. In the end, humanity is a social species that loves connection and interaction.
Fancy a little bonus tips?
Check out our current Studio Lenzing Playlist for some chilled office vibes. We can also recommend Noizio — an app for background noise: https://noiz.io/
Of course, not all these rules will apply to you and your needs exactly in the way that we described it. Everybody is different and so is everybody’s work & lifestyle. See what fits you and adapt those aspect that do not resonate with you yet. Drop us a line if you want to share your thoughts and experiences on this topic, we’re excited to hear about it.
