Home office tips&tricks by Nina

To stay healthy, we moved our everyday activities to our home offices. It's quite a change and it took some adjusting. We asked our Charter Broker Nina Kalinić to tell us what she did to make the home office as efficient as the regular one!

Proper mindset

The first thing that came to my mind is that I need to separate working hours from my free time, just as usual. I think it's important, first of all, because of that feeling of responsibility and of course, to know when I'm done, I'm done. It's Nina time! 

Another benefit I realized I have from this is maintaining my daily rhythm, with one difference – I can sleep for a bit longer.

Setting up the home office 

I need to have a designated space for work, it's very important. For me, it's a corner in my living room that I've arranged as a proper working environment. I mean, it's not like you need a lot – basically, all it takes is a desk to put your laptop on. 

Since I'm a visual person, I like to make my workspace look nice, so I made sure there is enough light, a plant for that feng-shui feeling and a good ergonomic chair. Health and safety first, after all. 

Another thing I do is dressing properly. You never know when will an impromptu Skype meeting happen! So, look presentable (well, at least from the waist up)!

When I first started „home-officeing“, I worked with the TV on, just to have some background noise. That didn't prove to be too effective since I was so distracted all the time. First the news, then some show and so on. So, instead of TV, I decided to turn on the radio. That way, I get all the daily updates and some great music, with no distractions. 

Don't get lonely 

Home office and social distancing is a recipe for loneliness. On the upside, we are all in this together. That is why my colleagues and I keep on communicating via team management apps. We almost organically transferred all our communication online! From work-related questions to everyday jokes (as you do in the office) to resolving issues – communication is key. 

That inspired me to start online hangouts with my friends as well. We can't see each other in person, but we can have a glass of wine in the evening via webcam and get the latest updates on each other (home) lives! 

What after work?  

That's a tricky one! If you're an active person like me, it's important to find the way to get that energy out. Since I have more time (no commute is a good thing), I start my days with a pilates routine. That usually does the trick! And thankfully, I've recently purchased a treadmill, so when I start feeling the need – I just get up and run! 

So there it is, the ways I cope with the challenges of home office & social distancing. I hope it's at least a bit useful, if nothing, to see that you're not alone in this. This will soon be behind us and we'll get back to our usual routines. Maybe with a new-found appreciation for all the things we used to take for granted!