The world is ever-evolving, and while working from home was the new normal last month, blended home-office work has emerged as the preferred arrangement as of late. This flexible work style allows employees to split their working time between home and the office, making for a smoother transition back to what life was like pre-coronavirus. Some companies, like BMO, are even planning to adopt this flexible arrangement for good!

As an employee who’s slowly starting to emerge after months of lockdown, this transition to blended home-office work will take some getting used to. Lucky for you, we’re going to be unveiling tips and tricks that’ll help make this change more manageable.

1. Communicate Your Work Schedule

More often than not, people who are working remotely don’t have a set 9 to 5 working day, which is ok so long as your team members can reach you. Let your team know when you’ll be working from home and what your schedule is like on those days so workflow isn’t impacted. Having some sort of schedule established for your work from home days will also help with keeping yourself accountable and maintaining productivity.

2. Set Up Your Space to Your Liking

After months of quarantine, your desk at work will probably need a bit of a revamp. Make your desk more home-y by bringing in plants, stocking it with your favourite snacks, and setting up pictures of your fave people. This will help you feel more comfortable and make the difference between home and the office less stark. Plus, redesigning your desk space will be a fun project to look forward to!

3. Stay in Contact with Coworkers

The office culture that existed pre-coronavirus will probably take some time to get back to what it was, and if you’re only returning to the office part-time you may experience some FOMO. With some companies are implementing staggered work hours, you may not see certain coworkers at all. To stay connected to your team, keep participating in the group chats that were established during quarantine.

4. Keep Up Daily Rituals

If you established daily rituals during lockdown to help cope with the uncertainty of everything, it’s important to keep those up during this transition – even on the days that you go to the office! Whether you like to meditate in the morning, go on a run, or write in your gratitude journal, maintaining your daily rituals will help you stay calm and grounded while your schedule starts to pick up.

5. Ease Your Way In

After working from home for months on end, getting used to office life again will take some time. Don’t commit to more than you can handle right off the bat - start out slow and gradually transition to working more in the office. This will help you stay productive and prevent burnout.

At Projects Spaces, we’ve been longtime proponents of a blended work style and our members come and go as they please. If you’re looking for an air-conditioned space with blazing fast wifi to get your work done this summer, book a tour of our downtown Toronto coworking spaces today!