Working from home is a new reality, and many companies are encouraging their staff to follow suit. If you’re used to working from the office, it may take you some time to get used to working remotely. Telecommuting requires a lot of self-motivation to remain as productive on your time as you would at the office. This article will provide you some tips to help you transition to working from home.
1. Create a Schedule for your Day
Like your typical job, working from home requires a schedule, except that your boss isn’t around to check on you, and you may feel less accountable. It’s also easy to get off tasks while working remotely. Having a checklist for the things you want to achieve will help you to visualize your progress. Share your schedule with your workmates so they can know when to expect you to be available for meetings and to respond to queries.
2. Limit Distractions
While the internet allows you to work from home, it also packs many distractions like social media and online gaming. Consider checking your social media accounts before you commence working. Afterward, close all non-work-related tables and only check your social media platforms during breaks.
3. Avoid Procrastinating
Check your schedule and strive to achieve everything on it. Don’t finish a significant chunk of your job and tell yourself that you’ll clear the rest later or tomorrow. You don’t want to get yourself into a cycle of postponing things to another day. You may find it hard to break the norm, and this will undoubtedly derail your productivity.
4. Discourage Personal Intrusions
Your friends and relatives don’t usually stop by your office to hang-out, have a chat, or interrupt your work. However, sometimes well-intended friends and family may view working from home as different. Interruptions by friends cause you to procrastinate, lose your focus, and fall behind schedule. You can avoid this by letting them know that although you’re working from home, the situation is no different from your office. Explain that you require privacy and concentration. Notify your friends and household members that you are unavailable during work hours. Remember to tell them when you are available to connect after work.
5. Get Dressed for Work
Although working from home may mean you won’t be meeting anyone else except your family, psychologically, you may not feel productive while you are dressed in pajamas. Staying in your pajamas may create in you a feeling of sluggishness by the end of your workday. Even if you had a productive day, you might feel like your day never really began if you skip getting dressed. Wearing new clothes will help your brain distinguish your work life from the rest of your life. You don’t have to adorn your best official wear, but having something you haven’t slept in will make your day feel more productive.
6. Create Your Home Workspace
The level of comfort you experience at your home may probably hamper your productivity while working remotely. It would help if you had a designated work area to create boundaries between your work life and family. Remember, you don’t need an extra that you can convert into an office. You can consider a space in your home with minimal traffic and disturbances. Invest in a comfortable desk, a chair, a computer, and an extra phone for work communication, and you are set to go. You may need a storage solution to keep your desk organized. Lighting plays an important role in well-being and productivity, so you may also want to consider installing plantation shutters to add more natural light to your home office. Check out https://www.mydirectblinds.com.au/plantation-shutters/ to know more ideas on having these installed in your home.
7. Avoid Cabin Fever
Working from home means spending a lot of your time (up to days) indoors, which isn’t very healthy. Find time to leave the house each day and do simple tasks like gardening or take a walk around the block. These outdoor activities will help you relax, clear your mind, and lower your stress levels. After work, watch a good movie, read a good book or prepare a fun meal. Remember to find time to build your social life and connect with loved ones.
As you make that transition to working from home, several factors can derail your productivity. Checking your social media accounts, streaming our favorite TV series, and interruptions by family and friends. By adhering to the above productivity strategies, you can limit distractions and remain productive while working from the comfort of your home.
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