Yannick Nijs
Covid-19 forces us all to face new challenges. From one day to the next, working from home became the new norm. At Calibrate we try to adapt as well as we can and grab the cow by the horns. Our people work safely from home to bring your projects to a successful conclusion.
Do you also work from home? Here are a few tips that might help you to boost your concentration/focus.
Set your alarm clock. Okay, maybe an hour later because you have no travel time, but get out of bed at the same time every day. And agree with yourself that, for example, you will be at your home office at 8:30 a.m. every day. Do you have recurring tasks? Choose a fixed time on your day.
Your breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and skipping it has many negative consequences. For example, your brain works a lot slower and you can't concentrate as long. You may feel alive, but your brain needs food to function properly. Especially with children a balanced breakfast is important.
If you have a good breakfast every day, you are also less likely to become overweight. That's because you're less likely to reach for cookies or other snacks. Admittedly, you don't always feel like having a decent breakfast, while a cookie or candy can go with it. Still, it's better to eat in the morning before you leave for work or school, because that way you'll get your recommended daily amount of nutrients. Not eating breakfast to lose a few kilos will not work right away.
Working from home does not mean that you completely decide how and when you can be reached. Make sure you're easily available to your manager by phone, e-mail or via the internal chat function and proactively provide updates on the status of your work. In this way, you will be able to maintain a good relationship of trust.
Also talk enough with your colleagues by giving them a call or scheduling a video call. Maybe you can agree to take a break at the same time, so you don't alienate from each other and still enjoy enough social interaction? Still share the joys and sorrows that you would share with each other in the office.
What exactly do you want to do today? Write it down. For example, make a distinction between what you want to do in the morning and what you want to do in the afternoon. You can also do this the day or evening in advance. This way you motivate yourself for the next day.
Your mailbox is crowded and because of all the notifications on your devices it looks like you're in the Lunapark. You are just in the zone and ...tjing tjing..., away focus. This flow of uncontrolled mails and messages takes you out of your rhythm and is not good for your concentration. It's as if someone is banging on the virtual door of your desk every time. If necessary, dare to go offline for a while and work in silence/rest, wooosah! Inform your colleagues of course!
Music is life, even when you're working. But beware: let the top hits sing along completely, those heavy metal riffs where you spontaneously play the air guitar or those deep rousing beats on which you imagine yourself to be on Tomorrowland. These can distract you. Boost your concentration with a soft and pleasant background music.
Spotify has some nice playlists specifically for you to focus on. A playlist I'm a fan of is the Binaural Beats from Spotify.
This tip requires a certain discipline, but can help you maintain a healthy balance between your work and private life. One of the biggest pitfalls of working from home is not to not work enough, but to not let go of your work sufficiently. Even at home, your work is done at some point. Pay enough attention to this and try to keep to your routine.
Working at home with children is of course another pair of sleeves. Here, too, it is very important to make clear agreements with your housemates. Be creative and read in a shift system with your partner.
Make sure your children can be creative, because creativity has a positive effect on their imagination. Set up a cosy corner where they can listen to an audio book, give them coloring pictures with which they can indulge themselves, let them do crafts... Set a certain goal for your children at the beginning of the day as well, so that they have something to work towards.
Find yourself a healthy balance between your professional obligations and your tasks as a parent. Surely you can't be productive with the children around? Then ask your manager if you can take (unpaid) leave.
Take a well-deserved break once in a while.
Stretch your legs, combine with some sports to change your mind. Don't forget to reward yourself, good job you did it. You rounded that target off perfectly! Spoil yourself with a french fry or that Kinder Bueno in the closet so you can get back to it.
People with a sedentary job need to move more!
Stimulate moving together! Exercising together has a positive effect on motivation, perseverance and the mutual relationship between colleagues, according to research. With Calibrate we took the initiative to organize a work out together using microsoft teams and a work out of 45 minutes. Watch our work out movie!
