Wondering how you can improve your productivity when you work from home? Follow our easy WFH best practices to start meeting your work goals today.
Even before the development of a global pandemic, there was a new boom in the work-from-home arena.
Many benefits derive from working at home, but there are also many challenges.
Some of the main challenges of working from home are limiting distractions and the need for self-motivation. There are, thankfully, ways to get around these challenges and still get your work done on time.
7 Ways To Improve Your Productivity While You Work At Home:
1. Freshen Up
Even though you don’t have to leave your house to make a living, rolling out of bed and crawling to your computer won’t exactly inspire productivity.
You’ll feel more awake and think straight if you freshen up as though you will be facing society.
The first order of events should be to get out of your pajamas. I know, they are so comfortable! But you won’t feel ready to tackle the workday in your jammies.
Next, brush your teeth. That minty zing will jolt your mind into work mode. Wash your face and get ready to face the day!
You will feel refreshed and professional. And, this small morning routine will make you feel more prepared psychologically.
2. Get A Routine
Speaking of routine, the rest of your day needs to have some semblance of a regular work routine.
At your last on-site job, you had a specific time to clock in, a set commute, perhaps a morning meeting, a lunch hour, and the end of the workday.
While you work from home, those boundaries and limits go away. All the accountability is on your shoulders. How can you ensure you don’t waste the day playing video games?
Set your own schedule and stick to it. And remember, one of the most significant issues many faces while working from home is finding a work-life balance.
When you have a set work schedule, you will finish more tasks and put work away to enjoy your private life after.
It also helps to set a bedtime and wake time so that you ensure you get enough sleep.
3. Limit Distractions
Home is full of distractions that wouldn’t be in an office. To ensure that you get a productive workday, you need to take actions that will limit these distractions.
If you have a personal phone, set this phone to silent. Turn off notifications for email.
Make sure you don’t work in the same room as the TV. If you don’t choose to move your office space, but the TV in another room.
Although you love them, family members can have a hard time adjusting to your working from home as well. Let them know the set hours of the day you are working and ask them to respect your work time.
Young ones may need a few extra reminders. You can hang a door sign when you are deep at work so that they have an easy reminder.
4. Maintain Communication
If you work with a team, it is essential that you maintain communication to feel involved and up to date.
Whether this communication is a daily conference call or weekly virtual team meetings, it helps strengthen relationships with colleagues.
It is crucial that you share and collaborate. It makes you feel more needed, appreciated, and part of a team. This will show in the quality of your work.
Every organization has a culture. This can be hard to develop and understand if you are all working in remote locations. This article helps leaders to keep this culture alive and well, even while working from home.
5. Have A Designated Office Space
If you adopt the attitude you can work from anywhere, such as the couch or bed, this is a bad habit. Trying to be productive in a space that screams relaxation isn’t conducive.
You need to carve out a dedicated office space for yourself, no matter how small. This space should have natural lighting, empty wall space, and an outlet nearby.
You need this space to stay organized and get your work hat on. It also helps keep distractions low and set boundaries between work and home life.
It is also wise to purchase good office furniture such as an ergonomic chair, desk, and maybe a small bookshelf for any papers or work equipment.
6. Stay Active
When you work from home, your world tends to get smaller. You work and live in the confines of the four walls of your home. This can begin to cramp you.
The best way to negate this feeling is to get out of the house. Take a walk every morning to get some fresh air. The daily habit can help you immensely with your physical health and your mental health.
Throughout the day, take “action breaks.” These 5-15 min breaks can involve stretching, dancing, jumping jacks, or whatever else comes to mind. Basically, anything to get your blood flowing will work.
You might be reluctant to stop work and dedicate time to moving around, thinking it’s counterproductive. But this habit helps people be more productive throughout their workday.
Sitting at a desk for eight hours a day is never healthy. These breaks help the body stay healthy.
Check out these five-minute workouts that you can try for your next active break.
7. Use A Planner
When you are responsible for tracking your daily tasks, you can begin to feel overwhelmed. The best way to ensure that you don’t forget anything on your to-do list is to invest in a good planner with plenty of room for writing.
Depending on your profession, it may be ideal to invest in a wall calendar, so you have deadlines and projects up on the wall easy to see and track.
These planners are ideal for writing your daily to-do lists but don’t overfill your day. Stick to your three top critical tasks and have a separate “when I can” list.
Marking tasks as “done” can give you a little boost but don’t take it too far. When you pack too much in one day and don’t accomplish it all, you may feel let down.
Having a planner may seem trivial, but it promotes prioritizing, accountability, and organization. These are all key to successful productivity.
Conclusion
To successfully work at home, you need to stay focused. With so many different responsibilities and distractions surrounding you, you have to prepare for these ahead of time.
These seven tips above can ensure that you stay productive without the traditional work environment.