Working from home has become the new normal. During the pandemic, many people switched to staying out of the office and staying at home. While it may seem like a luxury and a dream to work from home, it comes with its own set of difficulties. These tips and tricks will help anyone stay on track and successful while working from home.
Find a Seperate Space
Trying to do productive work in an environment not meant for work can be difficult. Try to find a separate space in the house. If you set up a desk in your bedroom, your mind will be in a more relaxed state, as it would be for sleep rather than work. Find a space free from other daily tasks. A room designated as an office is ideal, but working at the dining room table or outside patio table also works. The best place to stay productive is one with minimal distractions and a place specifically for work.
Keep Your Space Clean
Working in clutter can be inefficient and frustrating. Keeping your working environment free of trash and clutter will also keep your mind clear and ready to work. Some ways to avoid clutter is to have specific organizers, avoid eating at your workspace, throw trash away as soon as it is deemed waste, etc. A clear workspace is a clear mind.
Minimize Distractions
Minimizing distractions will help you stay focused. One of the biggest culprits to distraction is our TVs. Even if they are put on in the background, we are still subconsciously paying attention to it. If you are like me and need to have some kind of noise while you work, I recommend putting on music without words. If you need to, closing the door or throwing on headphones can be a great way to block out background noises. Keeping extra noise to a minimum and other distractions at bay will help you stay productive as you work from home.
Take Breaks
Taking breaks is essential when you are working from home. You have to give your mind some time to reset. Schedule in time for breaks, or take them when you start feeling yourself becoming unproductive. Whether it’s just two minutes to recollect or 30 minutes for lunch, breaks will be a great way to stay on track. If you are unsure about what to do during your breaks, I’ve come up with a list of 21 things you can do at home!
Dress for Success
If you stay in sweats or pajamas while you work, you won’t feel or be as productive. It doesn’t have to be business professional attire, but get dressed for the day. Getting dressed for success will make you feel more confident and put you in a good mindset to stay productive.
Stay Organized
This ties into the point earlier about keeping your space clean. If your workspace is well organized, it will relieve stress about not knowing where things are. It will keep important items in the right place and everything nice and neat. A favorite of mine is to use desk-top and drawer organizers! An organized workspace will also help you work more efficiently and effectively, keeping you on the path to success.
Have a Schedule
Set specific work hours. Have a to-do list that you task out with a schedule. This will keep you on the path to being productive and let you follow something more concrete. I personally use a paper planner to keep all of my tasks and appointments in one place. Working from home can sometimes be difficult because you might not have someone to watch over you and keep you on track. This can be a good or bad thing, depending on the person. Keeping a set schedule will keep your work productive and time well spent.
Get Out of the House
Get out! Don’t stay in the house all day. If you don’t leave the house you will go crazy. Whether you go out for a run, out to lunch, or out to pick up your kids, get out of the house. Staying in one place for too long gets boring; also if it’s the place that you work, sleep, eat, and do pretty much everything, it will get old fast. Switch things up and get out!
Communicate
Communication is the key to almost everything, but when it comes to working from home, overcommunication is essential. It can be more difficult to communicate with coworkers when you aren’t sitting in an office with them, so keep those communication lines open clearly, and often. Different companies may use different communication methods, but whatever they are, be sure to utilize them. The communication also goes with other members of the household. Set boundaries and communicate with your family or roommates as to when your work hours are or of specific work meetings that you have. This will allow for a more comfortable work environment with less distractions.
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