The standardization of working from home was a blessing for some people, but a crime for others. Where one mother can save on costs for childcare or for a babysitter, the other mother cannot finish her work because the children demand so much attention. Working from home remains a challenge – for everyone – because we are not used to it this way. Still, you can make working from home fun. I would like to give you some tips and a number of tricks that you can apply to make your home workplace a super productive environment. Even if you have children walking around.
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They are actually 2 different things, making working from home more fun, and being more productive. Yet one cannot exist without the other. If you succeed in making working from home fun for yourself, you are also more motivated and more productive. In addition, because you are more productive, you will be more satisfied with what you have done. And that makes it all the more fun!
You don't just get a productive work environment. You will have to mimic the atmosphere of an actual office a bit, because they look like that for a reason. For example, you can install a fluorescent tube so that the light is always bright and you do not fall asleep easily. Good light is of course also important to be able to do your work properly, especially if you sit in front of the PC all day. Do you have bad lies at your home workplace? Then your eyes get tired and that makes working from home no more fun. So even if it sounds a bit boring:good bright light is important for your productivity
In addition, a good desk in combination with a nice office chair is a requirement to work productively. That way you won't be held back by an awkward position. And you prevent problems with your back or shoulders, making you less productive again. Are you well? Then you work more concentrated and you are quickly finished with your to do list for that day. Nice, isn't it?
Finally, it is nice (read:necessary) if you have good coffee at home, to make your day a bit more bearable and to get through more concentrated. A big tip to make working from home fun is to really make a moment of your coffee. Make a delicious cappuccino or a latte with some extra mini marshmallows on top. Then don't drink your coffee at your desk, but take a 10-minute break and sit on the couch with a magazine. After this you are fresh to get back to work and you make working from home more fun and relaxed.
It is important to make agreements with your kids about when they are allowed to disturb. If you have small children at home, this is of course a bit more difficult and you have to keep a closer eye on them. For that situation, you may be able to arrange fixed days with other mothers to watch the children or let them play at the other's house.
With older children you can agree that when the door of your home workplace is closed, they are not allowed to disturb. If the door is open, they can of course just walk in. This way you set clear boundaries and you really get to work. In addition, you stay more concentrated at work and you have time off earlier to pay attention to your children. So a win win.
Working from nine to five is sometimes really not convenient if you have children at home, which may make working from home less fun. So be creative with your working hours if this is also possible at your employer. This way you can get up extra early to get started for an hour before school. When everyone is sleeping in the house, you can be extra productive in the early hours. In addition, you can also work a few hours after dinner, for example when your children are at football training or are already in bed.
Because you no longer have travel time and no longer have to stand in traffic, this saves a lot of time for many people. If you want to make working from home fun, use it. Preferably not by staying in bed longer, although it is sometimes quite nice to snooze extra once of course. But try to get up at the same time as normal. Suddenly you now have a lot of extra time! You can use that time for a nice walk in the afternoon. Getting some fresh air before getting back to work makes working from home not only more fun, but also healthier.
You can also throw that laundry in the washing machine in between or cut some vegetables for dinner so that you can finish them earlier in the evening. In this way you break up from work with a short break and you really benefit from being at home. This leaves you with more free time that you can spend in a different way. Delicious!
Working from home by definition means that you have to make more effort to maintain contact with your colleagues. Do you no longer speak to that nice colleague during the coffee break at the office? What are your thoughts on having a virtual coffee date at home? An app with a photo of your delicious coffee and an 'I'm thinking of you' already makes your colleague smile. But of course you can also just agree on a time when you have contact via zoom or skype. Both with a cup of tea or coffee and a good sense of ten minutes chatting.
This is also the perfect time to take out a delicious coffee subscription. Do you just get the fresh beans delivered by post! Just a little while and you will enjoy working from home more than at the office 😉 .
