As we discussed in our previous article, where and how we work has changed drastically due to COVID-19. Many of us were forced to set up their home office in no-time and work from home full-time. As a consequence, many of us quickly realised that collaborating with others and achieving maximum productivity can be challenging when working from home. Of course, it also has a lot of benefits: reduced travel time, saving gas or just the comfort of being in your own home. On the other hand, many remote workers struggle with being easily distracted. How do you make sure you set up your home office for optimal productivity? Here are 5 valuable tips that you can easily apply in your home office:
1. Create a happy (work)space
An unorganized workplace can be distracting and make it difficult to concentrate on your to-do's. That's why the first step is a well-organized and furnished workplace. In addition, it is very important that you are happy with your workplace. Transform your workplace into a pleasant and inspiring work environment where you like to spend your time. Think of additions such as inspiring quotes, beautiful artwork, plants or pictures on the wall or at your desk. A happy place improves productivity. Did you know you can also print an inspiring quote or image on a whiteboard? With a custom printed whiteboard you can express your creativity and have an inspirational workspace at the same time.
Of course, a pleasant workplace also means an ergonomic workplace. The right office chair and desk is key here. Many companies facilitate their office furniture as furniture to use in your home office. If so, go for this option. Do you have a choice in desks? Then go for an height-adjustable desk. This allows you to easily change your position throughout the day.
2. Improve experiences with vicons
When your work consists of regular phone- or video calls, it is important that your sound is at its best and that you can be understood well. There are several ways to improve acoustics in a room. You can improve this by adding a carpet to your workspace or by filling the walls with sound absorbing products. For example, you can choose a nice combination between whiteboards and acoustic pinboards. While distracting sounds are absorbed, you can be creative on the wall at the same time.
Another option to improve your experience during vicons is to use a headphone in combination with an integrated microphone. There is nothing more annoying than being unable to be heard properly while making (video) calls. When using a headset, background noises and an echo are largely absorbed. When you have a group videocall, the best option is that all non-speakers mute their microphones. This gives you less distracting background noises and allows the speaker to be better understood.
3. Clear your mind by visualising
Imagine this: While working, you come up with a brilliant idea for your project. You want to elaborate and visualise this idea right away. But what is missing in your home office? A whiteboard! Not only is a whiteboard helpful to visualise while working, but also when you're on the phone while standing and want to write things down. Don’t have enough space for a wall-mounted whiteboard in your home? Then you might want to try Magic-Chart, the perfect solution for a flexible workspace at home. It simply sticks to any flat surface and can easily be (re-)moved when you are done.
A pleasant and productive (home office) workplace can be created by using a daily planning with "to-do's". Literally ticking off tasks can give you a satisfied and completed feeling at the end of the day. You end the day with a clear and tidy mind, which can really help to "switch off" after work.
Instead of using paper, why not consider an erasable surface such as a whiteboard to endlessly visualise your planning and to-do’s? By adding WOODEN accessories, you can also keep your desk clean and organized.
4. Find the right balance between home and work
Quickly open the laptop after work to answer an email or finish your presentation. Recognizable? Working from home increases the chance that you will open your laptop after work. This is different from closing your laptop at the office, walking outside and leaving the office building behind you. How do you find the right balance between home and work? Create a fixed workplace in your home so you can literally close the door when you are finished.
If you do not have the luxury of turning a separate room into your home office, then it is still advisable to limit the flexibility in workplaces to get a good balance between work and private life. While it might be tempting to just let your laptop and notes stay on your (kitchen) table all the time, it can help a lot to turn your flexible home office back into a cozy place after work. By using the right flexible visualisation tools, you can easily move your work out of sight when you are finished. Think for example about self-adhesive whiteboard foils: Transform any surface into a visualisation surface whenever you need and easily move it when you are done for the day.
5. Take breaks & maintain social contacts with colleagues
Working from home of course means little physical contact with colleagues. You don't meet each other in the hallway, on your way to the coffee machine or during lunch breaks. At home you easily get caught up in your work, forget the social contacts and talk more to your laptop than your colleagues. It is therefore all the more important that you plan these social chats. Do you have a meeting with one of your colleagues? Schedule your meeting half an hour earlier than planned and start your meeting to catch up. Don't have many meetings? Then regularly schedule half an hour with one of your colleagues, organise a weekly TGIF chat or plan a virtual game night once in a while.
Last but not least: Find the right balance in work and relaxation. Don't get overloaded in your work. Take regular breaks! Go outside for a walk, read a good book, and then go back to work with full courage. Are you looking for more ways to boost productivity in the home office? Set up your home office with these indispensable functional and stylish solutions.
