The ultimate list for successful home office

Home office is the order of the day. Wherever possible, companies are shifting their employees to work from home. Admittedly, this is not a new phenomenon at least in Germany: As Bitkom found out, 31% (source) of employees have so far generally had the opportunity to work from home. However, the complete move to the home office now demands a new approach from many. This is also confirmed by the figures: Currently, one in two employees works partly or fully from home.

But how do I design productive home work? What do I need to consider? And how do I avoid cabin fever? We have compiled our ultimate list for a successful home office. If you follow these tips, the only thing that can set you back is failing Internet. Good luck!

To start the working day

Get up at your usual time.
Get yourself ready like you’re going to the office. It creates attitude and discipline.
Don’t work in your pyjamas. Depending on your type, you can of course still wear comfortable clothing.
Put on a pair of jeans – or introduce “business sweatpants”. You wear these only during working hours.
Do you need a clear start in the morning? Consider a short morning walk to simulate the way to work. Alternatively, you could do a short workout.
Start at the same time every day (if possible).
Do you drink coffee at the office every morning? Make some at home. Rituals help you find your way into a new work routine.
Pay more attention than ever to a healthy and balanced diet in your home office. This will help you get through the day better.

The ideal workplace

Set up a permanent workplace, if you can. Even if you have to clear the dining table every evening, you will soon get used to your new workstation.
Make sure you use an ergonomic chair. No one wants to be plagued by back pain in the home office.
Make sure that the desk or table is suitably high. If this is not possible, a stool or cushion for the legs can help to achieve a good sitting angle.
Light up your workplace well! A window and a lamp work wonders.
Use additional equipment for your laptop, especially for a longer lasting home office: keyboard and mouse prevent wrist complaints.
Take your screen with you from the office! It’s unlikely that anyone there will need it right now, and you’ll work both more efficiently and healthier with it.

The surroundings

Eliminate interference where possible. No radio, no open window to the construction site, no crowded desk.
Make arrangements with your roommates, partners etc. about your working hours. Ask them to contact you only in urgent cases or during your breaks.
Try the same with your children. 😉 Here you know best how and if you can combine both. If in doubt, you can apply for a holiday or state aid.
Be careful not to get stuck at your workplace. Why not use a headset to make a phone call and walk? Even short stretching helps. In case of doubt: one more trip to the coffee machine.
Ventilate regularly, because fresh air is invigorating.
Housework does not belong in working hours. Rarely does a “just a quickie” remain short. Whether you want to hang up laundry during your lunch break is up to you.
If possible, move around the apartment in between. Simulate a(nother) walk to the coffee machine, for example.

Finding the righ working attitude

Set weekly and daily goals. That way you won’t get lost in the shuffle.
It is best to use concrete goals, preferably according to the SMART formula.
If you are briefing others, please also make sure that your requirements are precise. It is best to send them by e-mail so that they can be read at any time.
In order not to lose the overview, tools for task planning like Trello and Asana are recommended. If in doubt, ask your employer which programs you may install and use.
Prioritise your tasks consistently. Either the above tools or an Eisenhower matrix will help you do this.
Also practical: Use common office applications in the cloud.
You are the team leader? Now is the opportunity to prove your trust in your employees. After a good briefing, give them the freedom to implement tasks themselves.
Excuses are not valid for skipping the lunch break. The best thing to do is even change rooms and leave your phone at your desk.
Set a fixed closing time and keep it like going home from work.
After this time you will not accept any more calls – unless there is an emergency at work.
Additionally, you should define your evening by changing your clothes or room. This literally creates distance.
By the way: Keep an eye on your working hours. Especially when working from home, you quickly tend to dissolve boundaries. If your employer doesn’t offer a tool for this, you can record the times yourself in Excel. Even better is the free tool Toggl.

Staying social

Install social collaboration tools like Slack, Skype or Microsoft Teams. Your employer will probably tell you one or more services that you can use in compliance with data protection regulations.
In case of unclear task definitions, distribution of tasks or similar, it is essential that you consult with your team.
Use chats instead of mails for short enquiries.
Phone calls instead of chats for detailed or urgent matters.
Video conferencing instead of telephone calls for team meetings and Jours fixes.
Share personal things in a colleague chat, e.g. the view from your workplace or funny anecdotes. This creates a sense of community despite the distance – you just shouldn’t overdo it.
Even if you have developed a burning interest in the latest news: Leave them out during working hours. Your concentration will thank you!

Of course even we do not always follow every single tip. However, they are a good framework for achieving optimum performance with homework in the medium term.

Do you have any other tips? Feel free to write us a message, we will include your name in it!