Working from home is a great luxury to some people but for others it can mean less productivity. Here are some tips on how to increase productivity when you are in a work from home situation!
Working From Home: How to Increase Productivity
We have a lot of awesome working from home tips for you to use. These tips will hopefully help you become the most successful work from home professional in the business!
Put the Worst First
Tackle the task you are least looking forward to first. That way the rest of your day is more pleasant and as they say “all downhill from here”! You’ll be happy you got it out of the way sooner rather than later.
Dress for Success
Set psychological work/relaxation boundaries by getting dressed. No Pajamas! That will help you to stay in the mindset that you are about business and not just comfort. It’s also great for when you have a video conference and don’t want to look like you just rolled out of bed! Feeling ready for the work day makes you want to put in a hard days work.
Make a Schedule
It doesn’t matter if you do your best work late at night or early in the morning. The key to optimizing productivity at home is to set a schedule and stick to it! Sticking to your routine makes for the greatest level of productivity.
Turn off push notifications
Log off of other potential distractions during work hours to complete tasks without interruptions. Even if they are work related, they are pulling at your attention and allowing you to become distracted more easily! You need to be able to zone in on what really matters.
Get organized
Create filing systems, schedules and to-do lists. Just because you are in your home doesn’t mean you shouldn’t keep your work, documents, and schedules organized! Make sure your work space is clear of clutter and distractions.
Have a set work space.
Emulate a true work environment. A door that can block out other noises in your house is best if you can make that happen. Being able to go in and shut yourself off from distractions is helpful and it works the same way when work time is over and you need to get away from your desk or take a break!
Having a set work space is also great for tax purposes!
Be computer savvy.
You should know everything from learning how to use different software, to updating programs and keeping your computer running smoothly. Your computer is going to be your main source of income, so make sure you have what you need to be successful!
Avoid home distractions.
Your bed, pets, TV and family members are just a few of the distractions you’ll encounter when you work at home. Do your best to avoid those distractions if you want to be in prime productivity mode! Set aside some “alone time” to get some work done!
Brush up on your communication skills.
Since you’ll be doing your work remotely, you’ll need to have excellent communication skills. Take some time to work on them, learn new communication skills, and remember to be professional!
Set office hours.
Make sure to create a time slot for each of the day’s activities. Having set office hours also lets you say “no” when the time for work is over. Having a healthy work/life balance is important!
Take breaks.
Get out of the house! Set up outside meetings versus phone conversations and find ways to work outside of the house once in a while. Working with your headphones in at the local cafe can help boost productivity and give you a nice change of scenery. Being cooped up can lead to less productivity.
Don’t handle personal tasks during work hours.
Make sure that you are focused on the best and proper use of your time during your work day. Communicate your work schedule to friends and family so they know that they can’t expect you to drop everything and handle their problems just because you are “at home”. Working from home is STILL working!
Maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Get down to the gym, keep healthy snacks around the house and remember to drink a lot of water! Getting up from your desk and moving around is important! If you stare at the screen all day, that isn’t healthy either, so make sure to take some breaks. Balance is key!
