Achieving solitary refinement – reporting from their makeshift desks around the world, the MYKITA crew share their tips on mastering the daily tasks and staying sane after a month of working from home. 

Zen desk oasis in Berlin-Kreuzberg 

QUARANTINE ROUTINE: JULIA

Based in NYC, marketing manager Julia keeps up with the MYKITA HAUS across the Atlantic via early starts and the Zoom beauty filter.

Julia wearing LITE archive model JONTE

Where in the world is your home office located and how have you set yourself up?

I moved to New York in January and was lucky enough to find a place just in time. Now I live in an old brownstone in Bed-Stuy and work from my kitchen table.

Any absolute essentials for your working area?

Hot tea and headphones.

What are your top tips for staying productive?

Wake up early. My colleagues in Berlin are six hours ahead, so I have to make the best of the time we have together.

How are you keeping your mental cool?

I’m taking a careful walk outside every day. Spring is just arriving here and it’s comforting to tune into nature’s rhythms.

And finally, what's your level of grooming before a video call?

I wear comfortable clothes all the time, so no big changes in that department. I just need some nice frames and the Zoom beauty filter – then I’m ready to go!

 

QUARANTINE ROUTINE: OLIVER

Observing regular business hours and a no-make-up camera policy is how our global sales director B2C Oliver maintains all that professionalism from home.

Oliver wearing NO2 archive model ORCHARD 

Where in the world is your home office located and how have you set yourself up?

I’m in my 3rd-floor apartment in Berlin-Friedrichshain.

What are your top tips for staying productive?

Get up like it’s a normal day at the office and dress like it. Be on time. Schedule appointments for important calls. Have a to-do list for the day and start with the difficult tasks. And finally, have a fixed time to close the computer and be just ‘home’ without the office.

How are you keeping your mental cool?

Music, fresh air on my small balcony and many calls with colleagues and friends.

And finally, what's your level of grooming before a video call?

I am bold and wear no make-up – there is not much to groom. I make sure to have something to drink and a comfortable seat.

 

QUARANTINE ROUTINE: SELIANTHE

Palo Santo, mindfulness practice and yoga – resident MYKITA yogini and online marketing coordinator Selianthe is expert on focusing her energies.

Selianthe wearing LITE model LUAVA 

Where in the world is your home office located and how have you set yourself up?

I’m in my peacefully situated apartment in the heart of Berlin. I have the luxury to work in a quiet surrounding, with good internet from the comfort of my desk.

Any absolute essentials for your working area?

Besides my Mac, phone and my prescription glasses, CLAAS, I cannot do without burning a stick of Palo Santo, a sacred wood from Peru that smells amazing. It calms my system and is also said to clear homes of energies related to illness. I’m notoriously known in my team for using this.

What are your top tips for staying productive?

I’m a yogini so: mindfulness practice! Every morning I start my day with meditation, qigong and a yoga routine. I also take a cold shower. This is my normal routine when going to work and I felt it’s important to stick to it. It cultivates discipline for the day and keeps you grounded.

How are you keeping your mental cool?

Aside from my own practice, I love to tune into my friend’s morning online classes. She is a healer from my hometown Amsterdam, and has started a free daily livestream to support people. 

 

QUARANTINE ROUTINE: CATARINA

With two tiny toddlers at home, Catarina grabs a quiet spot wherever and whenever she can to stay on top of fashion sales manager responsibilities.

Catarina wearing LITE model BIKKI 

Where in the world is your home office located and how have you set yourself up?

We spontaneously decided to relocate to Portugal where my parents live, currently quarantining in their holiday house before moving in with them.

Any absolute essentials for your working area?

Laptop, mobile phone, internet connection and some silence, that’s all I need.

What are your top tips for staying productive?

With two toddlers, being productive during the day is a hell of a challenge. Flexibility in terms of working hours and work location, these are my solutions to productivity.

How are you keeping your mental cool?

Positivity and optimism, the only way to overcome these extreme times. Every now and then, I’ll put on some Afrobeats, this always cheers me up!

And finally, what's your level of grooming before a video call?

Totally depends on with whom – I have several levels of grooming, from pyjama casual to job interviewee-style, I got them all!

 

QUARANTINE ROUTINE: JONAS

AirPods for walking-round-the-house calls and a cap for early morning calls – Jonas is the globe-trotting head of retail in the US and clearly a home office pro. 

Jonas wearing MYKITA & BERNHARD WILLHELM model WALSH with custom lenses

Where in the world is your home office located and how have you set yourself up?

I’m in the Lower Eastside, NYC with a very minimalistic set-up since I just got back from LA.

Any absolute essentials for your working area?

Computer, phone and AirPods, love to walk around the house during calls.

What are your top tips for staying productive?

I´ve been experiencing several home office periods since I left the MYKITA HAUS two years ago. A manageable daily and weekly to-do list with enough room for day-to-day tasks. As well as keeping a daily routine – still mastering it.

And finally, what's your level of grooming before a video call?

For the extra early morning calls, wearing a cap is sometimes a good idea.

 

QUARANTINE ROUTINE: ARIANE

A snappy to-do list routine and proper midday cooking is how our new PR recruit, Ariane stays on top of her game.

Where in the world is your home office located and how have you set yourself up?

I work from the living room in my flat in Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg and have a very comfy rolling chair perfect for home office!

What are your top tips for staying productive?

Morning coffee and a to-do list with my priorities – I get a kick and stay motivated by crossing off the finished items. My working space is tidy with only with the necessary items to stay focused.

How are you keeping your mental cool?

With plants and food! Lunch breaks are highlights in my day so I always try to make the time to prepare something nice.

And finally, what's your level of grooming before a video call?

Easy but grooming like a grown-up – I enjoy putting on some perfume in the morning as if I would leave the house, gets me in a positive mood.