What's going on? 🤔
It’s nothing short of an understatement to say that the spring of 2020 is weird.
Pretty much everything we tend to take for granted has been put on hold. Instead we’re mostly confined to our own homes for the time being.
Naturally, being home all the time is not without its challenges, which is why we’d like to share some tips on how to overcome them 🏃🏼♂️
So we collected all the available academic research available on the subject, applied this data to the latest in machine learning technology and, after hours of careful deliberation and nighttime video calls where we studied countless graphs and tables, we created the following list.
Okay, that didn’t happen 😏
We simply asked all our bunqers who are currently working from home what they would advise other people to make working from home a success, so we can share their insights.
Here’s to you from all of us:
Cover the basics…
What to do when the rhythm of the night and the rhythm of the day beat the same?
Basic problems often have basic solutions:
1. “Stick to your schedule,” says Olly, which in his case means exercise in the morning before work to kickoff your day 🤸🏿♂️. If you’re one of the many people who doesn’t cram out push ups or squats before their morning coffee, quarantine is arguably the best excuse to start! You’ll be amazed by how good you feel after just 10 squats!
2. “Commute,” is Robert-Jan’s suggestion 🚙. As you would leave your house every morning, go for a little walk around the block. Likewise, go for another one at the end of your work day. This way you get back part of your daily rhythm, making it easier to keep your groove going.
3. “And use a desk to work from,” Natalie and Ruan both add. And by that we don’t just mean it’s better for your back, but mostly that it’s important to separate work and leisure as much as possible. So yes, while it may be tempting to have FRIENDS reruns 📺 in the background of your work day , it’s better to dedicate a time and place for all things work related, just as you would under normal circumstances.
Being isolated doesn’t have to mean being alone
If there’s one thing we can all be grateful for it’s that the corona virus spread in 2020, and not to the tune of a dial-up modem: modern technology makes it super easy to stay in touch with everyone, all the time 👭.
4. ☎️ “Call your co-workers,” Camila says. It doesn’t have to be about work. In times like these it can be amazing to see a friendly face from time to time. We don’t have conversations at the coffee machine the way we do at work, but that doesn’t mean you can’t drink coffee together. Call a friendly face at least once a day!
Enjoy the finer things 🍷
5. Speaking of coffee, Natalie also recommends signing up for coffee subscriptions online, so you get the good stuff. Keeps you fresh and focused, and it probably tastes better than the coffee you get at work.
Or, if coffee is not your poison, just know that these days you can get your favorite goodies to arrive at your doorstep, simply by using your phone! So don’t shy away from treating yourself well!
6. Not everyone is a gifted chef, but, as Lennard puts it: “I find it very relaxing to make my own food every day. The hour I usually spend commuting can now be spent marinating my own chicken.” Working from home is the perfect time for starting a healthy diet 🍕 (Pizza has carbs and protein... right?).
7. “From time to time I like to sit in front of a window and let the sun warm my skin while I’m working,” says David. Being at home doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the spring weather outside. In fact, try to catch at least 15 minutes of sunlight ☀️ every day. It’ll brighten your mood for the entire day!
How to train your rabbit 🐇
There has never been a time to have pets like right now.
8. Barend for instance managed to get his bunny to come to him at the sound of his voice. We guess playing catch with carrots is next?
Otto told us that a good way to take a break from work is to let his cat walk over his laptop. You never know what great ideas Skittles comes up with 😸.
And Mitch tells us that his dog absolutely loves the fact he’s home all the time these days. Whatever pet you keep at home, take a few minutes of every hour to show your appreciation for them!
Get creative
9. “Not a day goes by that I don’t play at least some piano 🎹,” says Jane.
Creative outlets are great for increasing your overall productivity and making you feel accomplished. So whether you like to draw, paint, sculpture, make music, write limericks, novels or blogs like this one, whatever gets your creative engine running, ignite that engine at least once a day.
Working from home isn't always easy.
Sometimes we just miss having a place to go everyday. Check out what our bunqers are missing about our office 🌈.
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