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If you WFH or work in a hybrid work environment, you know that it’s different from working in the office. While there are lots of benefits, there are also drawbacks, and you might find it tricky to maintain productivity and structure.
These 'work from home' productivity tips will help you improve your focus, and reveal ways to be successful and work from home effectively.
Set up a workspace
A comfortable, organized, and secure workspace is probably the most important factor to increase productivity as you work remotely. Designate a particular area free from distractions. Replicate your office as much as possible, as this will help activate the “Work Mode” once you set in for work.
A key factor to keep in mind is to not create a workspace too close to your bed or sofa as this may make you feel unmotivated or even sluggish.
Set up a work schedule
It gets hard to progress without efficient planning. To ensure commitment to work, you must clearly define your working hours if possible write it down in a form of bullet journaling to ensure efficient time management against procrastination and duty negligence. Let your time be based on your productive hours when you are always active for work. It’d be good to share your schedule with your boss or co-workers to ensure you stick to it.
To get you into the right headspace for work, why not try:
Scheduling your breaks for the day first – so you have things to look forward to!
Planning a home workout session or a walk – to get your body and mind in the right place
Taking 10 minutes to be mindful – apps such as Calm and Headspace can really help
Dress Up
Getting up and dressing for the day’s work helps define a distinction between work and other aspects of your life. Getting out of bed and off your sleeping dress/PJs will trigger your body’s readiness for work.
Update Your To-Do List Each Morning
Start your day by analysing the day’s goals. Then, set up a detailed To-Do list and follow it up. Make daily targets, milestones, and deadlines for each task. Don’t be set back by a missed or failed task. Also, use a planner or calendar to make an extensive plan for the day, week, etc. You can use it to keep track of activities and work in progress.
Productive Time-Managing Apps
As tech and apps develop, work from home has never been more accessible. You can access various time tracker software and applications to help you plan and utilize your time efficiently. Choose one that suits your needs the best.
Catch up with colleagues about things outside of work
While there are many positives to working from home, one of the cons is that people often miss having regular communication with other members of a team. While we tend to be good at checking up on projects and progress virtually, it can be easy to lose the personal elements of conversations in the office and checking in with your team members about their lives and how they’re feeling.
You may notice that you feel slightly detached working alone at home and miss that social interaction with others in an office environment. It’s important to maintain regular online meetings and schedule work calls during the day in order to have that interaction. Another great way is to schedule meetings in person with clients so you can enjoy seeing a friendly face which will make an enormous difference.
Have scheduled breaks
One of the best ways of ensuring you stay motivated and productive while working from home is by giving yourself regular breaks. It’s crucial to give your mind and body the freedom to relax, stretch and move around for a bit.
Some ideas for breaks that we find increase our working from home productivity are:
Taking that ‘coffee break’ away from the desk
Taking the time to catch up with people outside of work
Scheduling an afternoon mindfulness session which can help calm your mind
It’s important to keep your mind active
Don’t forget about learning development during working from home. If appropriate for your work, set time aside for learning to challenge your mind. It’s a great way to maintain mental sharpness and boost your working from home productivity levels. You could also try out a course on LinkedIn Learning or platforms like Coursera and Udemy. You could also use the time to build your skillset and get new ideas for your role.