There is no need to wake up early in the morning and sit in the office all day counting the minutes until the end of the day. Working from home means a comfortable environment, a flexible schedule, and the new scourge of procrastination. We have prepared a list of tips that will make your home workday more efficient. You’ll also have time left over for walks and hanging out with friends.
Scheduling Matters
The biggest problem with working from home is time management. You control your work and set your deadlines. And there are a lot of distractions at home. While working, you remember that your favorite TV series has recently come out, there are free spins for playing casino games online, or you have a chocolate bar in your fridge.
People who have worked at home for years advise making a schedule. Of course, when your office is your home, you also need to wake up on the alarm clock: sleeping too long is dangerous to your productivity.
When making your own schedule, consider your own peculiarities. For example, if your work is more productive in the evening, then sit down to do things in the afternoon, and spend the morning on household chores and meeting with friends.
Set Boundaries
Some experts advise to determine in advance the end of the working day: for example, to finish work every day at 4 p.m. If that doesn’t work for you, you can make a list of tasks every day – your work day will end when all the items on that list are completed.
It is important not to be distracted by household chores or personal matters during working hours. Turn off social media for a while – respond to all messages when you are done with your business. You need to know how to distinguish between personal and work matters. Self-control and Freedom can help you do this.
Organize Your Workspace
Your couch can be a hindrance to your productivity. Make something like an office at home: a comfortable desk, a chair, and nothing else! The main function of your home office is business. So, it is advisable that your pets do not enter this area and do not distract you from your work.
If you feel the need for a change of scenery, go to a cafe or a park. It’s even helpful to change locations from time to time, especially if you’re stumped or need to generate a new idea.
Make Yourself Happy for the Work You’ve Done
To make your work go faster and more efficiently, come up with small rewards. You’ll get them for completing certain tasks. For example, promise yourself that, having dealt with the documents, you’ll take a walk to your favorite coffee shop. Or, after coping with routine tasks, allow yourself to watch an episode of the show.
Take Care of Your Outfit
Clothes have a big impact on productivity. It’s difficult to do work in a home T-shirt or pajamas – you want to lie in bed and watch movies. So, experts advise to pay attention to your appearance when working from home. Let the clothes be comfortable, but it should not be a shame to go out or answer a video call.
Don’t Forget to Rest
Sometimes when we work at home, we devote all our time to business and forget about rest. It’s also wrong. Add a walk in the park or a jog to your schedule. If you can’t leave your apartment, just go out on the balcony to get some fresh air. This boosts motivation and productivity.
Interval work is useful. For example, spend 45 minutes doing things and 15 minutes resting. It’s good for someone to work for 30 minutes and relax for 5-7 minutes. The Draugiem Group found in an experiment that their most efficient employees work in a 52/17 pattern.
If you have a sedentary lifestyle, don’t forget about sports. Alternating emotional and physical activity is the key to success.
Learn to Interact With Colleagues
Communication in the office is easier than remotely. At home, it is important to always be in touch with your colleagues, so as not to hamper the work process. So, answer promptly both in personal messages and in general chats. Experts recommend agreeing with the team what time you will be in touch. And there is no need to be shy about asking questions: it is better to ask several times and to clarify, than to do the wrong thing because you misunderstood.
You can also make your colleagues’ jobs easier if you notify them yourself about work done or changes in the workflow, rather than waiting to be asked.
Communicate With Other People
When we work at home, we communicate less with people. For many, this becomes a real challenge. Some notice for themselves that they become withdrawn and antisocial. So, it is necessary at least once a week to meet a friend for a cup of coffee or gather like-minded people and arrange a co-working – it will have a positive impact on your productivity.