5 Tips to increase your productivity while working from home
Welcome to the #LearnFromHome series where we talk about ways to tackle the various challenges that you face while working from home. Today we are talking about productivity!
For those of us who might be new to working from home, the potential for distraction is huge. Whether it involves food, pets, or the internet, it can be hard to focus on work.
I’ve put together a few tips that will help increase productivity while working from home. These are working quite well for me.
Watch the video here:
Have a separate workspace
While it might be tempting to curl up on your bed with your laptop, that will only lower your productivity. To be able to focus, make sure your work environment is free of distractions and—as silly as this may sound—aesthetically pleasing.
Find a quiet place to set up your work area where you won’t be interrupted. Try and keep your worktable free of clutter. Have all the things you might need at the ready—your computer, stationery, drinking water, and the like. You could even throw in a motivational poster!
Plan out your day and week
Once you have your workspace ready, you have to figure out what you need to get done during the day, as well as whether you are on track for your longer-term goals. Write down two or three things to finish during the day. Remember, never take up tasks just for the sake of doing something. They should still put you on the path to achieving your long-term goal.
One thing we’d recommend is using a good old-fashioned checklist—it’s very satisfying to cross stuff off your to-do list. Set goals at the start of the week and see at the end of it if you’ve managed to hit your targets.
Keep your breaks short and sweet
We all need to take breaks to stay sane, especially since you’re working from the same place you’d usually just be relaxing in—your home. However, there’s a great deal of difference between taking a break and getting completely distracted from your work. Make sure to finish at least one thing off of your list between your breaks. Treat breaks as rewards for finishing your tasks.
For your break, pick an activity that won’t overextend. Take a walk, enjoy a power nap, or grab a snack. But whatever you do, stay within the time you planned for the break. Also, when it comes to social media, simply avoid it. If you know you have self-control issues, just log out for the day. This may seem drastic but trust me, you’ll be able to get stuff done sooner.
Stay in touch with your team
When you’re in your usual work environment, you’ll probably have a decent amount of human interaction—during lunch, while grabbing coffee, or even just banter with your colleagues. However, when you’re working from home, these are obviously much harder to come by.
You need to talk to your team, not just to get updates about what everyone is working on but also to keep everyone’s spirits high and increase team bonding.
Set boundaries for both yourself and those around you
While this may not apply to those of you who live alone, the rest of you need to make it clear that when you’re working, you’re not to be disturbed. Just because you’re home doesn’t mean you’re available. It can be hard to draw these lines but the sooner you do, the quicker you can wrap up your work and spend time with your loved ones.
So what are your tips for working from home and remaining productive? Let us know in the comments below!
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