More and more employees and self-employed want to work in the home office. We already discussed another set of tips in the article on 6 Tips for Securing Your Data from Cyber Attacks as a Remote Worker. Many bosses fear the distraction in the home walls. With a few tricks, we can concentrate on working in your home office. Working in the home office is becoming increasingly popular – around 38 percent of all employees sometimes work from home. Working in the home office is trendy. Thanks to modern tools, working anywhere is possible for almost everyone. Nevertheless, it is essential for the well-being of the employees that the home office concept is supported in parallel by the corporate culture of each company.
The success of location-independent work model is by no means a sure-fire success. Anyone who works from home knows too well how easy it is to be distracted. Nevertheless, the home office can lead to a huge increase in productivity if the framework conditions are right. The following eight tips can help keep employees motivated and productive when working at home and ideally enjoy their work.
Establish changing routines
Routine is good, but those who do the same thing day in day out will probably get bored at some point. Instead, it is advisable to design two or three different daily routines for the working week and to vary them on a daily basis – this ensures variety and keeps the brain more alert and active. This means that everyday work is not boring in the home office.
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Create a timed to-do list
Making a list of things to do every day, setting a time limit for it, and using a stopwatch can work as an effective remedy for motivational problems. The incentive: If you complete a task ten minutes earlier than planned, you can use the time saved as a reward – for a short walk in the sun or a cozy cup of coffee.
Integrate the Lazy Time into the schedule
Quiet at work! Distractions should be avoided at the home office. The work shouldn’t take up the whole day. A common phenomenon in the home office: employees postpone activities in the evenings and at the weekend – without direct contact with colleagues, there is often a lack of orientation as to when work should be stopped. It is therefore advisable to keep an eye on the daily workload and to strike a balance. Overtime should always be compensated for by free time, for example in the form of a walk (with the dog), meditation or meeting friends. Breaks like this help prevent burnout.
Define rest periods
Those who do not live alone are well advised to plan ahead the times when roommates or family members are present. These time windows are particularly suitable for tasks that do not require complete mental presence, or as “lazy time”. For highly concentrated work, it is helpful to know the roommates’ working hours or timetables in order to make the most of quiet moments.
The working environment vary
Fixed rest periods without disturbances should be set for highly concentrated work. Staying in the same place can have a counterproductive effect on work in the long run. If you want to ensure that you can be reached on a business cell phone, you can also work quietly on the terrace or in the park for a few hours. This changes the perspective, increases creativity and breaks up the monotony that otherwise arises.
Stretch and exercise
Nothing better circulates the blood in a healthy way than a little exercise. This should not be neglected in the home office either. Because it gives workers the flexibility they need: climbing stairs, stretching muscles or walking around the block are ideal as new healthy routines to get the brain going again after strenuous activities.
Schedule and prepare meals
Many people who work from home tend to forget about eating or to eat unhealthy sweets all day because of their immersion in their tasks. Both can result in low energy levels and lower productivity. It is therefore advisable to use part of the evening or weekend to prepare substantial meals and snacks. Alternatively, a classic lunch break is recommended to prepare a full meal.
Switch off devices which are not required
A Facebook alarm sound can suddenly suck some 20 minutes. Those who work alone at home often find it difficult to control the dynamics of their social media activities. Strictly handle the relevant end devices. Here, even an app that blocks access to social media accounts for a certain period of time becomes an effective tool. The less it buzzes and rings during working hours, the more tasks can be done efficiently. In addition, it should be noted that a suitable working atmosphere must be created within your own four walls.
