Not new, but often forgotten
We are all likely to be working from home more in a short period of time than we might like. Or have the opportunity to do so - each of us feels it a little differently. And even if home office is no longer new to almost all of us, we want to draw attention to a few things that are easily and quickly forgotten.
A cup of coffee in hand, checking the morning news and checking the weather forecast - today doesn't seem to be a particularly nice and warm day. Fortunately, a day in the home office is planned and you don't have to leave the house. Sounds like a relaxed day, although you should pay attention to a few things in order to be able to work successfully at home.
Separation must be - as far as possible
One of the challenges in the home office is being able to separate professional and private things from each other. It is therefore helpful to create your own office area in your apartment or house in some way. This area is then specially prepared for days at home and is not associated with anything private.
Of course, at home, the risk of being distracted from work is a little greater because the private environment can be seen or felt. The dishwasher or the washing machine beeps, the doorbell rings or children are noisy in the afternoons while playing. Everyone should find a solution individually to be able to work well and concentrated.
Rituals can help
It sounds very tempting to work in jogging pants, a pullover and fine, warm, cozy socks – but this comfort sometimes doesn’t go particularly well with motivation. Therefore, it can be useful to follow the same rituals that are usually carried out in the company before a working day. This also includes dressing appropriately to prepare yourself for work, regardless of whether it is done at home on the couch or at the desk in the office.
Out of sight - NOT out of mind
Despite your home office days, you should always keep in touch with your work colleagues. In this way, you convey to colleagues that work is also done in the home office and that the day is not used for private purposes. Conversely, you also want your colleagues to be available at their home office times.
The look at the clock
If you now have a flextime agreement in your company and can in principle always work without observing core times, you should pay particular attention to the time in the home office. Since one can quickly be "forced" to take private breaks at home and only resume work later in the day, working hours are often blurred and not entirely clear. Longer working hours are therefore not uncommon when working from home and should not be ignored - but the same applies at home: everything with moderation and purpose. So: comfortable jeans instead of sweatpants, a desk instead of a couch and a structured schedule - you can conjure up the best of your home office days!
