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Working from home is something many office-based people dream of and an increasing number of companies are recognizing the benefits of giving staff more flexibility in this way. However, while working from home may sound like a great idea, there are plenty of potential pitfalls and negative aspects to consider. It can be very difficult to stay motivated and to enforce a routine on yourself when you are in your own home with no colleagues or boss to answer to. To help you stay focused and prevent work from bleeding into your home life too much, here are 7 ways to make working from home more productive.
Create a dedicated office space
Choose a room or space in your home which is solely for work to create a boundary between your personal and professional life. This could mean turning a spare room into an office or designating a desk and chair in a quiet area of the home.
Make sure you have the right technology and equipment
From the chair you sit on and the desk you work on, your office furniture should be ergonomic and comfortable. You will need a computer or laptop, a phone and possibly other technology such as applications, software, and hardware to enable you to work efficiently. Invest in a high-speed broadband service such as Suddenlink which also offers streaming services for your downtime.
Schedule your workday
While working from home offers flexibility in your hours, this can lead to a slippery slope when you’re never sure whether you are at work or not. Set (and stick to) specific work hours when you are at your most productive, including scheduled breaks, and make sure your boss, colleagues or clients (and family/friends) are aware of them. At the end of the day, shut your laptop and/or office door and enjoy your downtime.
Get ready for work
You might not be leaving the house, but that doesn’t mean you should be working in your pajamas all day. Get into the habit of getting up in the morning, showering and having breakfast before dressing in comfortable clothes and heading to your desk or office. This will help you to prepare for the day and help to prevent free time and work time from blurring into one another.
Stay organized
Working from home requires a high level of self-motivation to ensure you complete tasks in order of priority and to deadlines. At the start of each day, write a list of everything you need to do and tick the tasks off one by one. A planner or calendar could also be useful if you spend some of your time out on the road, attending meetings or in different offices. There are plenty of task management apps that can help with this.
Get regular exercise
Exercise is a great way to clear the mind of stress and boost your endorphins so try to work some exercise into your day. It could be a morning or lunchtime walk or a class at the gym, but ideally, it should be something which gets you out of the house for a change of scenery and/or some fresh air.
Avoid TV and social media
Working in front of the TV or having social media open on your phone or laptop are surefire ways to drain your productivity. Try to keep limit distractions in the working area of your home. If you find it easier to focus with background noise, try putting the TV in another room or playing music instead.