Zero commute, more time with loved ones, and flexible working hours initially sound like a dream. Then five weeks later, you find yourself racing against three different deadlines, working until 10PM every day, and feeling like work is never done. At this point, are you working from home or sleeping at the office?

*Get in the zone and never leave @ Raintree Showroom*

We recognise that working-from-home comes with associated challenges that may come as a shock for those of us who have never adopted the practice before, or have gotten used to working at the office. From unreliable internet, to monsoon storms, to having neighbours that seem only to be preparing for the next season of the Voice, to screaming children - they can all really get in the way of productivity. We’re all discovering these problems especially with continuing Covid restrictions in Cambodia and around the globe.

As a workspace, Team Raintree takes pride in designing offices that enable people to do their best work. While we (unfortunately) can’t stop your neighbours from singing, we can share come of our team’s top tips for getting more work done at home. Here are 5 tips that you can use right now to boost your productivity.

1. Safeguard your attention and work-life balance with technology
Staying focused on work can be a challenge when there are notifications popping up every second (let’s be honest, we really don’t need to know when our favourite chef is going live on Instagram with the latest cake recipe). Even though there may be many expected work communications, on channels such as Microsoft Teams or Telegram, we can use technology to help get back some control over exactly who, and what gets our attention.

There are surprising number of tech tools to manage your focus. For starters, Google Chrome extensions such as ‘Stayfocusd’ are free to install, and designed to allow you to exert control over what you’d want to pay attention to. With both whitelist and blacklist mode, you can either block out distracting sites like social media, or make sure you don’t jump around by disabling your ability to navigate a site for a specific period of time. It’s been a game-changer for our friends with ADHD - or just those who are easily distracted.

If missing the overall ‘feel’ of the workspace is keeping you from being your most productive self, check out office-noise simulation sites such as ‘I Miss The Office’. It’s free to use and features ambient sounds commonly heard in the office you can use to trick yourself into work mode. Workspace simulators such as ‘Gather’ can also allow you to spend time with your friends and coworkers digitally in similar fashions to how you’d do it in real life. You can - literally - move to your colleague and ask a quick question and get real-time answers.

2. Draw boundaries - with those you work with, and those you live with
This is our favourite. Just as it can be awkward to have your partner banging on the door, calling you to have lunch when you’re at the critical moment of your online presentation, it’s also not a pleasant feeling to receive a work email at 2AM. In managing boundaries at home, having even simple signage that clearly communicates your availability can help them to help you work without interruptions. This trick can work with the kids too, but we can’t guarantee it. It might feel like a strange hotel room office sign at first, but it really does help.
For work, activating features such as ‘Do Not Disturb’ on your phone, letting your team know you’re signing off for the day, and shared calendars, can help you to establish a clearer sense of ‘finishing work’.

3. Give your body a break by investing in high-quality furniture
It’s not just that strained necks and back pain aren’t fun, but they can also render us less productive. If you’re setting up a home office for longer term, we recommend investing in ergonomic furniture that supports your posture - be it pivotal screen monitors, or height-adjustable chairs with lumbar support. Team Raintree swears by the Sylphy office chair by Okamura, designed in Japan, or even the special kneeling chair Balans by Varier designed in Scandinavia.
For more budget friendly options, our friends have also found it helpful to grab a laptop stand or adjustable height desk, available for purchase locally at Japan Home Centre Cambodia. If you’re really really on a budget, at least put your laptop on a stack of hardback books which works wonders…

*Green on the inside and out @ Raintree. Photos: Raintree + SmallWorld*

4. Bring nature indoors
If you’ve visited our workspace before, you may have noticed that from top to bottom, our workspace is covered in plants and greenery. Our co-founders purposefully designed this not just for aesthetic reasons, but over the years there’s been an overwhelming body of research confirming that having natural elements in our environment can really affect our mood and in turn, our productivity. Whether it’s pulling the curtains to have some sunlight, or including potted plants - we highly recommend exploring bringing nature to your workspace. For all your home plant needs, check out some of our favourite green solutions at Dam & Dey.

5. Work faster with your tools next to you
Having your stationery stocked up and within reach goes a long way in boosting your productivity (or just making sure you don’t waste time on unnecessary things. You don’t want to waste time rumaging around the house searching for a stapler, or sticky notes.

Household name stationery shops such as Peace Book Store and Angkor Thom Book Centre are on NHAM24 SHOP, which means you can totally shop all your stationery needs and have them delivered to your door within less than 24 hours.

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While the way we work is changing, our needs for an environment that is conducive to working remains. These are just some ideas we’ve used to enable us to work with a bit more ease at home, as Team Raintree knows that remote working and dynamic scheduling are practices of the future, not just a reality today. We're always looking for new ways to boost our productivity through design, so share with us your WFH recommendations if you have any at hello@raintreecambodia.com. But in the meantime, subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest updates on workspace design, the future of work and so much more.