Are you one of the lucky ones who get to stay in your comfortable hive while making money? Are you looking for ways to make working from home more productive? Here are 9 tips to be productive while working from home.
1) Rise and Shine for Yourself: Get Dressed to Feel In the Mood
Yes, pajamas are your absolute favorite clothes to wear while working from home; however, they don’t get you in the mood for “work” but for getting back in bed.
The best way to start your day is to pick up nice clothes that make you feel good and send the correct signal to your brain. If you get ready as if you were going to work, it would be much easier for the mind to be set for a working day too.
If your usual routine is getting dressed and picking up a coffee on your way to work, you may still do the same and pick up your favorite brew. Being amongst people is always a good idea not to feel isolated. So, some days, sit at the coffee shop for the first hours of the day to motivate yourself.
2) Have Regular Working Hours
Planning your day is one of the most challenging parts of working from home. It is easy to burn out when working from home. The good news is that you no longer risk exhaustion once your day is scheduled as close to a “normal” workday as possible.
Make sure to wake up early and have a kick start. It is best to put your hot cup of coffee at your desk and start working immediately after you shower, get dressed, and feel uplifted. Early morning is the best time to finish the must-dos while you are still fresh and uninterrupted by the world.
Prepare your daily plan the night before or first thing in the morning, depending on your job’s requirements. Stick to your time blocks; in this way, you can ensure that your job does not take over your personal life.
3) Set Up an Exclusive Workspace At Home
Having a personal space is one of the most critical factors for better productivity while you work from home. It helps with two things greatly.
The first one; having a dedicated workspace will allow you better organization and concentration. You will have all job-related items, such as your files, specific tools, etc., in that area, and you will not have to waste time carrying them from one place to another.
Whenever you are in your workspace, you will know it is not the time to relax but the time to work. It will significantly help you to get in the right state of mind rather than sitting on your couch in front of the tv, where you usually spend time chilling out.
The second one; it is great to draw your boundaries, especially if you are not living alone. Others at home will know it is work time for you at your workspace, and it will be easier to cut them out to focus on your job. It will also save you from the headache of constantly telling people to be more silent or pushing them into other rooms (which never works anyway).
Bonus: You can be creative, as you wish, with how you want your workspace to look!
4) Make Your Schedule Clear To Others
Having to announce your working hours applies to outsiders and the household.
Even though more and more people enjoy being able to work from home nowadays, it can still be hard for others to understand that although you are at home, you are actually working.
It requires clear communication of your schedule to get them to know when your “do not disturb” hours are. This way, no offense will be taken. Also, you will not have to repeatedly explain why you are unavailable or why it is not a great time to grab a beer.
Make your schedule clear to everyone, at least your close circle of family and friends, so they know when they can exploit you and when it is not the right time. It will give you much peace of mind and more productivity every day.
5) Choose To Live in An Area You Always Wanted
Once set your home as your new workplace, there is no need to stress about being late because of the traffic. You no longer have to look for an apartment near the subway. It means you do not have to spend half your salary renting a ” central flat.”
In addition to all of the above, making home your workplace means you can start looking at moving into that nice area you always dreamt of. You can check a house instead of an apartment; depending on the location, you may not even have to pay more for that bigger place.
Imagine having a little garden where you take care of your tomatoes as you take a break from work. Wouldn’t it be a wonderful life?
6) Remember to Have Human Interaction
When the work routine takes over, it is easy to forget to see people. Yes, you may realize it is 5 pm, and you have yet to speak to anyone (anyone real).
When you work from home, generally, if your partner works outside or if you live alone, you often find yourself listening to a podcast or watching a short Youtube video during your break. Seeing or hearing people behind screens might give you the illusion that you have been with people, whereas, as a basic need, you need actual human contact.
If your job allows it, try and have some meetings in person with your colleagues. Break the routine, go out to work in a library or a coffee shop, rent an office space for a day or two, and surround yourself with others.
7) Pack Your Kitchen With Healthy Snacks
Is it engraved in your mind yet? You are what you eat. And yes, you work as well as the quality of your fuel.
There is a direct relation between how we eat and how we feel. If you are already looking for an opportunity to change your eating habits or get in better shape by choosing the right food, this is the perfect time.
Use the benefit of being home and not having to order food full of MSG for your lunch or not having to choose between a quick bagel or a hot dog–which all drain your energy by the second half of your day.
Instead, use the opportunity of being home to cook your food (maybe from the night before to save time during your working hours) and fill your kitchen cupboard with healthy snacks, which will trigger a positive mindset as you munch on.
8) Use The Magic of Music to Stay Concentrated
Music, at all times, is the most incredible boost for productivity.
At the office, you had to use headphones and be more selective of what you were listening to (admit it, you also have some cheesy playlist that inspires you).
You are home now! You don’t need headphones; you can set up a quality sound system and dive into work. You can make a playlist for each task you are ready to attack.
Music will get you started, and music will get you going. Enjoy the beat!
9) Always Stop Work At the Same Time / Don’t Overwork
When you plan your day, write down a realistic to-do list and tick off as much as possible by the end of the day.
If you set clear and realistic targets, you will not have to overwork, which would exhaust you in the long run. Make sure to have a start and finish time and always finish at the same time every day. By doing so, you will increase the productivity of your working hours. Also, you will respect yourself enough to get things done and not exhaust yourself.
The second half of the day will belong to you. To the one who plays hard after a day of hard work!
