How to: My 8 steps to home office balance and motivation
The last time I was in our Berlin office was just over one year ago. At the time we said goodbye with the words "See you in 2 weeks!" - and now a long year has passed since then. I have great hopes for how this experience will change our working world and rules in the long term, but that is another topic.
In the beginning, switching to 100% home office was cosy and maybe even exciting or relaxing, because it was such a different, new reality than the one we were used to. But after a few weeks and months it was also exhausting, monotonous and often overwhelming. Home office is one thing, but lockdown is another aspect of this new reality. Lines are blurred, schools are closed, leisure activities are completely restricted. It is all the more important that we reorganize our everyday work and workplace - and for me that was urgently necessary after a year of 10 zoom calls every single day.
1. Find your own rhythm - and avoid meeting marathons
Precisely because we cannot see each other during home office and can’t just briefly discuss things in passing, video meetings are one of the main components of our everyday home office. Short or long, spontaneous or planned well in advance, there are many, many meetings, often every hour and without a break. What is neglected: the actual work, the breaks, and the moment to process what has been discussed. Hence my advice: Listen to yourselves which time of the day is sacred for you - in the morning or rather in the afternoon - and put a block in the calendar. From now on this is your time! Also shorten the meeting times to 50 minutes (instead of 1 hour) or 25 minutes (instead of 30; check your calendar settings to make this happen) so that you have at least short breaks in between. And introduce better meeting etiquette, namely no meetings without a previously shared agenda (yes, even if it's brainstorming, that's exactly the agenda). This leads to the invitee planning ahead, and the invitees being able to prepare. The result is more effectiveness, better exchange and probably even some canceled meetings, as some topics can also be solved differently.
My tip: I'm a meeting fan because it gives us the opportunity to exchange ideas and see each other, but it has to be effective and fit into our daily routine. So dare to (re)set your rules and encourage your team to do so too!
2. Fresh air and exercise - the lockdown walk really helps
Everyone now has a routine walk in the neighborhood and the truth is: we should definitely make fresh air and exercise an everyday part of our routine, not just during lockdowns. With the current restrictions, this is all the more important. Because these moments outside are good for our health, help with our brain performance and strengthen our immune system. And currently they are the perfect moment to finally get out of the house. Whether it's just 5 minutes or 30 minutes, take the time for yourself, take a deep breath and just walk.
My tip: motivate your colleagues and arrange to meet for a “Walk & Talk”; instead of just sitting in front of the computer, you go for a walk “together” - without camera, outdoors and in motion, and preferably at least once a day!
3. Mood board & flowers - small highlights to brighten up our view at the desk
We sit at our desks for around 40 hours a week. Many had to get creative with their workspaces and everyone likes to switch it up (if possible), sometimes choosing the dining table or just sitting with a laptop on your lap. Variety definitely helps, but is not always possible. That's why we often end up at the desk. A mood board is ideal for having a “view” here - for everything that inspires or moves you, brings up memories and has a positive effect on you. So when your eye wanders away from the screen, it falls on this collection: could be a travel destination or an inspiring quote, a photo or a card from a loved one. For a few seconds we are positively distracted and deeply connected with ourselves - and gain new motivation from this. Try it! Creating the mood board is also a great exercise as a team or family, because you learn a lot about each other and can often understand things better afterwards, about everyone’s individual drive and dreams.
My tip: fresh flowers on the desk are another eye-catcher during working hours! Pick what is currently in bloom, so you will be accompanied through the seasons. Fabric pinboards make mood boards extra special, for example from Papier & Stoffe as a beautiful interior eye-catcher (https://www.papierundstoffe.de/pinnboards).
4. Create new rules for video calls (PS: saying no is allowed, even necessary sometimes!)
In the past year, we have demonstrated one important thing above all: so much can be achieved through video calls. I very much hope that this experience will change our meeting culture in the long term and that it will lead to better compatibility, less travel and more opportunities. On the other hand, we have learned to appreciate how nice it is to sit together and speak in reality. But we cannot deny that it is also exhausting to be on video calls for hours every day, because you have to be fully and visibly present, read facial expressions, struggle with the technology and simply concentrate really well. It is therefore also important to question the rules after one year and to adjust them if necessary. Turning off the camera, for example, sometimes has to be accepted and we should be able to express that too - maybe because you just don't feel like it, because you can’t right now or you're on the go somewhere. We have to learn to trust and not misinterpret a switched off camera; and the latest research actually confirms that it can lead to higher productivity as we concentrate on the topic instead of worrying about our face expressions on camera.
My tip: I noticed that we all see positives and negatives of the video calls, so the best approach is honest communication about it. Just ask and discuss in your team: what do you think is good or bad about it and then discuss which new rules or adjustments are possible and necessary. One variation that I have experienced quite a few times was that you had the camera on at the beginning for hellos and introductions, and then everyone turned them off. So the bottom line is: there is no right or wrong, but it is important to openly discuss.
5. The right equipment, important regardless of space
Not all of us have a dedicated home office or even a separate desk. Many of us share apartments and we all want smart and stylish solutions that still make our home look and feel homey. All the better and more important to have the right equipment that is good for our back and posture while being flexible and stylish at the same time - because let's admit it, we all sit hunched over the laptops. In our team we have tested all possible products because everyone has different preferences and needs. The result are a few different must-haves, depending on preferences and home office situation:
happyback® ball cushion: fits on every chair, can be easily transported and helps after just 10 minutes. It adapts to the individual posture and stimulates the deeper back muscles and the sensorimotor system. Made in Germany and for only 29,90€.
Vertically adjustable laptop stand: covers two use cases - one is to elevate the laptop on your desk and improve your posture by doing so, and secondly to be able to improvise a standing desk by putting the laptop stand on the highest level. It can easily be folded up for the weekend and is also available in wooden versions, depending on what suits your interior better.
Swiss ball: one level up from the ball cushion and now also available with fabric covers and a larger selection of colors. Officially recognized as an "ergonomic product", the lack of a backrest has a direct positive effect on the sitting posture. Your body balance, as well as your abdominal and back muscles are constantly challenged and the body stays in motion. It can also be used for workouts of course.
My tip: The right posture and the right set-up should be one of our highest priorities, because the effects on our back, neck and shoulders can be painful and long lasting. It has also been shown that poor posture and the resulting pain have a negative impact on our productivity and mood. Also on this topic, make sure you have an open conversation in your teams and, if necessary, with your HR & People team, so that everyone has access to the right equipment.
6. Short breaks for relaxation, inspiration & stretching
We all know the moment when our concentration drops, often in the afternoon or after intense phases when we struggle to regain focus. Our bodies are not built for 8+ hours of non-stop concentration. We should listen better and understand declining concentration as a sign. After all, it has been proven that our decision-making power is negatively affected with slowing concentration. The best antidote is taking breaks! Short regular breaks that allow our body and brain to recover and to then continue refreshed and concentrated. Here, too, you have to find what suits you best and test it out. I personally recommend a 5-minute break every hour and a longer break every 3-4 hours. It is also important that we don’t just use our smartphone during these breaks and aimlessly scroll through social media, but really step away from all devices and do something different. A few ideas:
Get fresh air, regardless of whether you are just standing by the window, on the balcony or during a short walk
Stretching and movement to loosen your body, find a good video on Youtube or try some exercises and then repeat these every day (e.g. here by Pamela Reif)
Let your eyes and head rest, ideally just look into the distance and let your thoughts run free, this helps for concentration and inspiration
Talking and snacking, whether with friends or colleagues, talk about something other than work; and as snacks, nuts, dried fruits, fruits and vegetables are particularly suitable as healthy sources of energy
My tip: we all have different needs. In order to bring balance into our day and to use breaks sensibly, it is worthwhile to understand what works best for yourself. So try it and see what works and feels best. You can also incorporate breaks in meetings, especially in longer sessions. Encourage this practice, introduce 5 minute stretching breaks, then turn off the camera and microphone and use the 5 minutes for yourself!
7. Be honest with each other and rather ask twice how people are really doing
Every Zoom meeting starts roughly the same with "Hello, how are you?" - "I’m fine and you". While in the past we would have recognized from body language and facial expressions when this might not be entirely true, we now have to pay closer attention through the camera and possibly ask twice. Because while we are all in different situations, we have one thing in common: we are definitely not living our normal life at the moment. And we have to assume that this affects us all differently - mentally, physically, professionally, in the family or relationship. One-to-one meetings in particular are suitable and important spaces for asking that second question: “How are you really? How are you feeling?”. Our counterpart can still decide whether they want to open up and that depends on the individual relationship and level of trust. But the important thing is to create a space where you can open up, where we can be honest also if we are not doing well. Because this is the only way we can be there for each other, also during home office, also at work.
My tip: It's always worth taking the time in meetings to ask each other how everyone is doing, even if you talk about it for 15 minutes. It helped me a lot to be able to be so honest with colleagues. It leads to a more human approach and that in turn leads to a better work environment. And investing in that is always worthwhile.
8. Switch off and close your devices!
Now that we've really taken the work home with us, we need to redefine the boundaries. And here we should set physical boundaries, for example with a certain area where we work, where we don't necessarily sit on the weekend or at least where we pack everything work related away on the weekend, but also time limits. It was very difficult for me, especially at the beginning of the pandemic. But it is all the more important that we set new working hours ourselves and then really “close” work and our devices - be it at the end of the working day or on Friday for the weekend! And it feels so good, because then you can really enjoy the feeling of having achieved something and now move on to the private part of life. Encourage each other to clearly define and celebrate this moment! Close your laptop, do some stretching, get some fresh air - then the evening or the weekend can begin.
My tip: If you have a separate work laptop, it should definitely be switched off from Friday evening to Monday morning. If you want to use it at the weekend for Netflix and other things, then at least close all documents, chats and browsers so that there is no reminders.
One final thought
The most important thing is that we are aware that this current situation is new to all of us and that is okay. We are in learning mode and will have to improve and redefine the rules of home office both for ourselves and in companies. So it's good that we think about it - because it's learning by doing for everyone.
Find the German version on Emotion: https://www.emotion.de/leben-arbeit/karriere/8-tipps-homeoffice