We can no longer ignore it these days: working from home is the norm. It sounds easy, because: no travel time. But does that work in practice? With working from home, it is sometimes difficult to keep work and private life separate. While this is important.
Some distracting factors also affect your productivity when you work from home.
That is why we have listed 10 tips for you on how to set up a nice workplace in which you can work productively.
1. Make sure all technology is up to date
If you're working at home, you don't want technology to let you down. If a malfunction occurs while working, this will not make you happy. After all, no system administrator will come to your workplace quickly to solve it. It is a time-consuming job and you really have to do it yourself.
So before you start working - full-time - at home, check whether all devices such as your laptop, computer, printer and internet connection are working properly.
2. Try not to mix your work life with your personal life
When you work from home a lot, your work can quickly become intertwined with your personal life. Distraction unfortunately does not help to work productively.
Therefore, take a critical look at your home office every now and then, so that you can see how much of your workspace consists of distractions. Think of a remote control for the television, game consoles and magazines. Take a good look at where in your home your workspace starts and where living ends.
Set up your workspace differently from the other rooms in your house. Research shows that if you furnish all the rooms in your house - including your home office - the same, it has a psychological effect on how you work and perform.
3. Develop a morning routine
Actually, this tip is a follow-up on how not to mix your work life with your personal life. A morning routine is very important to start your day well so that you start your day with positive energy.
The routine differs per person. But whatever the routine is, repeat it every day so your brain knows what's about to happen.
For example, one person starts with a cup of matcha and the newspaper, but another does a mindfulness exercise first. Then take a seat at your desk and get to work. Thanks to the accompanying morning routine, you are immediately in work mode.
4. Pretend you're actually in an office and dress accordingly
If you want a productive day in your home office, working in pajamas is an absolute no go . Even if you don't have video calls that day.
How you dress affects how you feel and behave. Try it out. Even the smallest things can help, such as putting on your shoes.
You will soon notice the difference when you are working at your kitchen table.
5. Make a to-do list
To work efficiently and productively in your home office, make a list of the tasks you want to get done for the day. Put the tasks you dread the most at the top.
Most people are at their best in the morning. This way you have more concentration for these tasks and you will finish them sooner. Then it's time for the "more fun" tasks.
Also prioritize everything you need to do from most important to less important. Then it's not so bad if you haven't been able to finish your complete to-do list.
6. Drink a cup of matcha tea
Do you work at home and is your concentration sometimes hard to find? Then start your day with a cup of matcha tea . This may be both pure matcha and a matcha latte.
Matcha tea has a healthy effect. This is due to the fact that the entire powdered tea leaf is used. This way you get much more vitamins, minerals, amino acids and antioxidants.
In addition, Matcha is rich in vitamin C, zinc and magnesium, among other things.
With a cup of Matcha tea you strengthen your concentration and keep your energy for up to five hours.
Matcha tea does not have the same effect as coffee: unlike coffee, your energy peak drops gradually, so that you do not end up in a sleepy dip.
7. Get some fresh air
We all know it, but we don't do it enough: gasping for fresh air during office hours. If you work in an office, this happens naturally.
Going for a walk with colleagues and getting a message. If you work at home, you have a fridge a stone's throw away and it takes a little more effort to actually leave the house. While outdoor air is just so healthy!
You also get new creative energy after a walk. So, for example, plan in your agenda that you will walk around the block at a certain time. Together with your spouse who also works at home, this is of course even more fun!
8. Take breaks
Besides taking a breath of fresh air, taking multiple breaks is just as important. If you work at home, chances are that you will spend all day behind your screen and never leave it. While this does not promote productivity.
Therefore, for example, stretch your legs for a few minutes every half hour and take a longer break during lunch. The following applies to all these breaks: leave your phone behind. This way you are completely detached from your home working situation.
9. Do an online coffee date with colleagues
At the office, you can have a chat with colleagues much more quickly during work and during your breaks. This kind of distraction contributes to your further productivity that day.
If you work from home, this is a different story. All your colleagues are at home, so a quick chat is not easy.
Therefore, try to schedule a virtual coffee date with a colleague at least once a day. This doesn't have to be about work, but can be the same as you did before at the coffee maker. After that you have enough energy to continue with your further home working day.
Instead of coffee you can of course also drink a cup of matcha tea !
10. Divide the working hours with your partner
The nursery and primary schools are closed, then open again, then the after-school care is closed again... in times of corona we will continue like this for a while. Many home workers have children running around during working hours.
Try - if possible - to find a babysitter or divide the working hours with your partner. For example, if you have the luxury of a real home office, sit here when you have to work and put on some headphones.
Agree with your partner that he or she will arrange everything for the children. The other way around too: if your partner has to work, you pay attention to the children.
