Working from the comfort of your own home can be a blessing. You have more flexibility in your schedule, you don’t need to spend that extra time in the morning getting ready or leaving early to beat traffic and you have more responsibilities.
When you work from home, even after the global Covid-19 pandemic passes, there are going to be both benefits and concerns that you will need to address. When you work from home, you can increase your productivity as long as you practice good time management skills and can avoid too many distractions. The work from the home environment also provides you with the potential for a reduction in tax liabilities, reduced costs in travel, and a host of other benefits.
However, working from home (WFH) isn’t always as easy as it may seem. If you’ve never worked remotely before, you may be surprised by all the distractions around your house. It can be difficult to motivate yourself to work when you’re still walking around in your pajamas noticing everything around the house that could be cleaned or tidied up. For anyone struggling to create a solid work-from-home routine, try implementing these practices into your work days and watch as your productivity increases.
1. Create A Separate Work Space
Before you even begin working out of your house, you need to consider where you will be doing most of your work. To get yourself in the right mindset, you should set aside a specific area of your house or apartment that is strictly dedicated for work. This will signify to your brain that it is now work time.
Trying to work from the couch or your bed may sound tempting, but your body is used to using these areas of the house as places to relax, which will probably make it more difficult for you to focus. If you have an extra room in your house, set it up as an office. Or, find a space in your home where you can add a desk, more organizers and a calendar. Even just having a simple setup like this will help to get your mind ready to focus on work. It’s important to place your desk in such a way that you can’t be easily distracted by things you need to clean or the nearby TV. Make your workspace comfortable and organized.
2. Stay On Top Of Your Schedule
The greatest challenge when working from home may be time management. When you work in an office, it’s easier to be held accountable for your work because your coworkers and managers are around at all times, giving them a greater sense of awareness of what you are doing and when you are completing projects. From home, it’s much easier to procrastinate. In the beginning, you may find yourself slacking off until the very last minute and then rushing to complete your work. This isn’t the most efficient way to spend your time so, instead, you should schedule hours during the day that you always work.
Because you work from home, this doesn’t have to mean you work during the standard 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. hours, but you should be working at the same time every day to get you in the habit. If you find that you are more productive at night, then schedule a few hours in the evening to work. For some people, the best kind of routine is working first thing in the morning and then taking a long afternoon break before finishing up in the evening. It all depends on your own preferences. Just be sure to stick to the same work times as much as possible. This will also give a sense of predictability to your other colleagues or clients as to what times of the day they can expect to contact you.
3. Follow A Morning Routine
You’re probably starting to notice a pattern in regards to these tips—routine, routine, routine. It’s the most important aspect of working from home. When you’re hanging out in your house, you’re not usually thinking about getting your work done because home is a place of relaxation. But, when you work from home, the lines between your work and personal life become blurred, making it difficult to distinguish work time and free time.
When you set up a specific morning routine with a set work schedule, you’ll have an easier time focusing on the task at hand and getting all of your work done before you move on to the other activities you have to do around the house. Everyone’s morning routine will vary based on individual interests and needs, but try starting your day off with a nutritious breakfast, followed by a run or some other form of exercise. Then, write a list of things to accomplish for the day to keep you on task.
4. Take Breaks When Necessary
Whether you work from home or in an office, taking regular breaks throughout the day is important to your productivity level and your mental health. When you spend too much time focused on work, you may neglect other needs like food or water, and you may find yourself becoming increasingly stressed out.
Plan to take a break at least a few minutes every hour to two hours with a longer break around lunch time. During your break, you should eat lunch, hydrate and maybe do something non-work related to relax your mind and de-stress so that you can return to work feeling revitalized. One of our favorite activities to do during a break is paint with diamonds. This is the kind of project you can work on slowly each day until you’ve completed the mosaic picture.
Any type of creative endeavor such as this is said to help reduce anxiety and lower levels of stress when working from home.
5. Work Outside Your Home
Sometimes, staying in the house is just too much. The dishes have started to pile up, there’s laundry to be done and the hardwood floors need to be mopped. All these distractions are weighing on your mind, making it difficult to focus on the work in front of you. During these moments, it’s important to get out of the house and immerse yourself in another environment. Sometimes, a change of scenery is all you need to refresh your mind. Coffee shops are the perfect place to settle in and start working. You’ll also have the chance to chat and connect with other people when you opt to use a coffee shop or co-working space as your second office.
6. Get Your Work Under Control
Working from home can be overwhelming at times, but it's all about adjustment and management. If you can figure out a routine that works for you and stick to a strict work schedule, you’ll find it much easier to concentrate on your work and get things done more quickly. The more focused you are, the less time you’ll have to spend working, which is one of the beauties of working from home—setting your own schedule. Be diligent about your time management, try to get out of the house when you need to and always set up an office space for yourself to get yourself in the right mentality. Take breaks often and try working on a fun project like paint with diamonds kits during your free time to help cope with feelings of anxiety and reduce stress.
WFH Doesn't Have To Be Stressful
Working from home can take some time to get used to if you've never done it before, or at least not for a prolonged period of time. But if you utilize these WFH strategies above, you will stay both productive and relaxed.
5. Work Outside Your Home
Sometimes, staying in the house is just too much. The dishes have started to pile up, there’s laundry to be done and the hardwood floors need to be mopped. All these distractions are weighing on your mind, making it difficult to focus on the work in front of you. During these moments, it’s important to get out of the house and immerse yourself in another environment. Sometimes, a change of scenery is all you need to refresh your mind. Coffee shops are the perfect place to settle in and start working. You’ll also have the chance to chat and connect with other people when you opt to use a coffee shop or co-working space as your second office.
6. Get Your Work Under Control
Working from home can be overwhelming at times, but it's all about adjustment and management. If you can figure out a routine that works for you and stick to a strict work schedule, you’ll find it much easier to concentrate on your work and get things done more quickly. The more focused you are, the less time you’ll have to spend working, which is one of the beauties of working from home—setting your own schedule. Be diligent about your time management, try to get out of the house when you need to and always set up an office space for yourself to get yourself in the right mentality. Take breaks often and try working on a fun project like paint with diamonds kits during your free time to help cope with feelings of anxiety and reduce stress.
WFH Doesn't Have To Be Stressful
Working from home can take some time to get used to if you've never done it before, or at least not for a prolonged period of time. But if you utilize these WFH strategies above, you will stay both productive and relaxed.
