Most office workers are dreaming about working from home. What’s not to like — working in your PJ’s, taking a break whenever you like, sitting on a couch, hanging out with your pets. Sometimes, a remote job can demand twice as much effort with plenty of self-control and some serious time-management skills. However, according to Business News Daily, working from home increases productivity and leads to a healthier lifestyle. Here are some helpful tips that can help you to achieve your remote working goals.
Do Not Drop The Office Routine
You might notice how your routine has changed significantly and your productivity needs to adjust to the changes as your home slowly becomes your new office. The thing is that most people tend to focus differently while they are in the office compared to working at home. This isn’t a bad thing, you just have to make sure you're just as productive. Staying at home might give you a different vibe. To prevent that from happening, make sure you follow the same routine that you would at your office. Drink coffee, dress nicely, work your usual hours and track them with an employee time clock system, and take breaks for lunch.
DYK, according to one study, working from home increases employee productivity by 14%?
Connect With Your Co-Workers
It is important to stay in-sync with your colleagues throughout the day. Having an online meeting with your co-workers, performing regular calls, and being on top of emails throughout the day is great for staying in contact and up-to-date.
Spending some online time with your colleagues will also give you a chance to vent out. Staying at home might be boring or even stressful, and talking to people in the same situation will be refreshing.
Plan Ahead
Try to make a habit out of planning your tasks for the next day every evening. Prioritize your tasks and plan the most difficult ones first. Set a reminder for those that need your immediate attention so you will not miss the deadline. If you have a tight schedule, it would be smart to use some sort of a daily planner like Google Calendar to not miss anything. Surely, your daily agenda can undergo some changes if needed, but at least you will have a full picture of what should be done during the day.
Planning refers not only to your job duties but personal needs as well. Little things like preparing your lunch the night before and setting up your desk at the beginning of the day can save you a lot of time. Planning for work in the morning can make you more productive and focused.
Create A Working Area
The key moment while you work from home is to separate your working and free time as much as possible. This way working from your bed will constantly get you distracted. Set a space for yourself that will be your “office” and will be further associated with work, not leisure.
You could also take out your work to a cafe or a coworking place nearby. That would give you just the necessary amount of white noise and ‘office-like’ environment to stay productive.
Unplug Yourself From Social Media
The whole idea of social media is that you can get through it easily and quickly. This can be a massive distraction. “Whenever I need to work from home I log out from all my social media accounts and delete them from the browser tabs. Really helps with the concentration and makes it less tempting for me to quickly check my page” - says Ben Grant, a writer from LinksManagement.
Take Small Steps
Big projects can be intimidating which often results in postponing their execution. Try to break big tasks into smaller ones and complete them one after another. Use a time clock app to track your hours worked so you understand how much time you are spending on your projects. This will give you a feeling of accomplishment and will eventually let you finish the task in time. Also, do not feel shy to delegate a part of your project to subordinates if needed. Getting exhausted will not do any good for your productivity level.
Set Boundaries
It is important that not only you but also your family members take your work from home seriously. Explain to everyone that you are going to be busy throughout the day, just as you would be at your office. Remember that even slightest interruptions can greatly affect your productivity level and damage your concentration.
Take One Task At A Time
Do not try to do all your tasks at once, you will only get yourself stressed out and won’t accomplish anything. Instead, focus on one thing at a time and finish it. Only after you have successfully crossed it off of your list you can proceed with the next one. Doing this will keep you highly motivated and start to feel more confident after every little step.
Do Not Forget To Rest
Just as you would do in the office - take short breaks. But instead of going to YouTube to watch some videos - take a walk or talk to your family. In an article by Forbes, it states how mounting research shows that spending time in nature lowers stress, helps you relax and clears your mind. Use this time to clear your head and give yourself some real time off. It is also a great time to do a little workout. It can be really helpful in case you are sitting at the desk all day.
Taking a good rest is just as important as working hard. After you have finished your shift make sure that you put away all the electronic devices you have used. Constantly seeing reminders of your work will not let you have a proper rest. Instead, document your achievements in a journal for a complete understanding on how productive you are while working remotely.
Final Thoughts
Working from home can be a tough challenge at first, but it can ultimately increase your productivity and reduce stress compared to an office setting. Being your own boss is always accompanied by the constant temptation to give yourself a break. It is a tricky situation though, one second on social media may result in hours of procrastination. This is when you need to stay focused and be smart about how you manage your time. Hopefully, these tips will be helpful and you will not notice any drop in your productivity level while working from home.
Track Hours Worked When Working From Home
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