Working from home is great because it’s flexible and offers more convenience. You’re in an environment, however, that could lead to a variety of challenges. This article is designed to give you work from home tips and productivity tips you can use to circumvent distractions and stay on task.
It’s so easy to become distracted doing chores, scrolling on your phone, or interruptions from family. Take a look at these 7 working from home tips and productivity tips you can follow to limit your distractions and increase your productivity starting today.
1. Create a Morning Routine
Create a quick morning routine for yourself that is sustainable, and something you can easily repeat each day. It’s a really great way to boost your energy in the morning and get your focus set before you even begin the workday.
Make the routine concise and don’t pick too many things or try at first. Make your first routine 5 – 15 minutes. You can always work to increase the time your spend in your time. It’s best to start off with something simple.
Some ideas you can try are to make the bed, drink a large glass of water, journal for 5 minutes, create a to-do list, read the morning paper, or get in a quick workout. Try a few items and see how they work for you then adjust your list as you find the right combination of tasks.
2. Get Dressed in the Morning
To be product while working from home, you must get dressed each morning! It’s an essential part of the equation.
I’m not saying you need to put on your Sunday best, but you do need to put in some effort to get ready. Put on something comfortable but that you can also leave the house in. Such as leggings and a sweater, jeans and T shirt, or a casual skirt and top. You don’t need to go all out but you don’t want to work in your pajamas either.
There’s science behind this too! Scientists have linked getting dressed in the morning to higher productivity rates. So, get dressed, do something with your hair, and put in a touch of makeup if you wear it.
Some ideas you can try are to make the bed, drink a large glass of water, journal for 5 minutes, create a to-do list, read the morning paper, or get in a quick workout. Try a few items and see how they work for you then adjust your list as you find the right combination of tasks. This is one of my favorite productivity tips.
3. Choose a Dedicated Workspace
When working from home, you’ll need a dedicated workspace. While a lot of people associate working from home to working from the couch, it is NOT the same thing. You need to have a space that is curated for work.
This helps with daily routine and overall focus. It takes the decision out of where you’re going to work for the day, and acts as a place where you can store all your work equipment. This can help to be better organized too.
You don’t need to have an entire office for this, you just need to choose somewhere with good lighting, a place that’s quiet, and somewhere you can leave your work materials at the end of each day.
Having a dedicated space is one of the biggest factors in productivity! You’ll have a much easier time cultivating work/life balance too, since you can leave your workspace behind for the evening when you’re done working.
4. Get Dressed in the Morning
Make sure to tidy up your workspace at the end of each day so it’s neat for the next morning. It’s an excellent habit to get into and can save time in the morning since your space will already be organized and ready for the day.
Before you turn in, pickup pens/pencils, plug your laptop into charge, and tighten up any lose papers. Don’t forget to remove any dirty dishes too – you definitely don’t want those piling up.
5. Remove Distractions
The ultimate key to being productive while working from home is to remove distractions! It’s next to impossible to avoid looking at our phones when they buzz or focus on work and tv at the same time. Which is why it’s imperative that you remove these distractions all together.
Start by removing your phone from view and arms reach. You can even leave your phone in another room all together if you prefer. Keep your notifications to a minimum and the volume off if you can. This will remove a huge barrier to getting work done! Try it for a few days and I guarantee you’ll see an improvement in your productivity and focus.
Studies show that we are not good multi-taskers, and it can take our brain 20 minutes to refocus on what we were working on. So, turn off the TV, videos, or movies you have playing in the background and just focus on the work. Listening to music is fine, especially if it’s mostly instrumental and there are not many lyrics. Lyrics can pull you away from what you’re doing, so pick something that can easily fade into the background.
6. Create a Schedule that You Can Stick To
Find out the hours you’re expected to be available if you’re employed by an organization. Some organizations have clock in /clock out requirements and others do not. Ensure you’re familiar with how our company does things.
If you’re working for yourself, you may have more flexibility in your schedule – which is a good but can be bad thing if it’s not done correctly. You really have to stay on top of yourself to get things done, so make sure you map out a daily schedule you can stick to. Try time blocking or making your to-do list a few days in advance so you know what you have going on for the week.
7. Take Regular Breaks
I can’t emphasize enough how important taking regular breaks is! Get in the habit of taking 15–20-minute breaks in the morning and afternoon. Taking breaks allows us to refresh and come back with fresh eyes, which can help with creativity and productivity. It also helps avoid burn out.
Work From Home Tips Recap
If you follow these 7 tips for staying productive while working from home, you’ll notice changes in no time! You’ll probably also feel more creative and energized about your work too. It all boils down to organization, planning, and execution.
Keep up the great work and I hope to see you back at the blog again soon! If you found this article helpful, leave a comment or share this with a friend.
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- Tips for Productivity while Working from Home
