So many of us are working from home these days, either full time or as a hybrid work system where some of the time is spent in a physical office and some of the time is spent working from home.
There is a definite shift in mentality that is required if you are to be successful at working away from a traditional office environment.
Working from home can be tough at times, with concentration and dedication a real problem for many people.
If you are looking for ways to boost your working from home productivity levels, we’ve put together some helpful hints and tips. Here are 5 ways to improve your working from home experience.
1. Create A Dedicated Workspace
Your homeworking environment is key to how successful you are as a remote worker.
It doesn’t matter whether you work from home just one day a week or full-time, it is vital that you have a dedicated workspace to call your own.
This can be quite tricky if you share an apartment or house with other young professionals, friends, or family members, but it must be done, to maximise your working from home productivity and performance levels.
If it is possible, choose a separate room from your living room, a room that has some source of natural light. If this isn’t possible, choose a spot on the dining table, or somewhere where you can sit up straight. Never work from your sofa, as this isn’t conducive to good work or a good back!
Look into the ergonomic factors that will help you maintain a good posture. Get a chair and desk that fit this need, tweaking your desk and workstation as you go along to make it better for you to work from, reduce the chances of lower back pain and increase the chances of you maintaining higher energy levels throughout the day.
Making sure you have the right office desk essentials to keep you going, is a great start to setting up a dedicated workspace at home.
2. Limit Distractions As Best You Can
Distractions are the biggest killer when you are working from home. It is so easy to peer over the top of your laptop and watch a bit more of one of the hundreds of BBC quiz shows that are on every single day, or to watch Homes under the Hammer before you even start any work in the morning.
That dedicated space away from the living room, that we mentioned, will be a good start to limiting those distractions, but there are other things to consider too.
One of those is household chores. It’s tempting to think about getting some washing on, doing the dishes, or cleaning around the house, as little tasks throughout the day.
This might seem like you’re saving time elsewhere in your life, but it is distracting you from your work so avoid it like you do the rest of the time!
Leave your phone to one side as you work, as it can be really tempting to just check social media and end up doom scrolling for hours on end.
These boundaries are important, as you wouldn’t get away with checking your phone every few minutes in the office, so don’t assume you’ll be more productive at home if all you do is pick your phone up.
Your choice of music is also important. For some people, talk radio is too much of a distraction, as are songs with lyrics.
Depending on the type of work you do and your temperament, choose soothing, easy music, radio, or silence.
It’s up to you but find what boosts your working from home productivity the most and stick with it!
3. Maintain A Distinction Between Home And Work Life
This is especially important if you live with other people, and if other people also work from home. It is so easy for your family members, your partner, housemate, or friend, to forget that you are working.
They might start conversations about the household chores that need doing, about the last episode of I’m a Celebrity, or anything at all, but this will take away from your time working.
Make sure that everyone in the house knows what your working hours are and where your dedicated workspace is located.
Setting these healthy boundaries within your household will help to create this clear distinction between work and home life, helping your mental wellbeing in the process.
Create a schedule that suits you, working hours that get the most out of you.
In some cases, you might not have a choice on your working hours, and this is where the clear boundaries and expectations of others is important.
Start the day well, get up and get showered and dressed, no matter how tempting it is to stay in your dressing gown for the day.
Eat a healthy breakfast and have set hours and a clear plan for the day ahead.
At the end of the day, make sure that you have a routine where you check you’ve fulfilled your daily tasks and know what to expect tomorrow.
4. Use Your Breaks Wisely
Within your schedule it is important to have plenty of well-earned breaks.
Set yourself targets that must be met before you indulge in that cup of tea (and maybe a biscuit or two) around 11am, give yourself a proper lunch break and get away from your desk when you break from work.
One of the biggest problems people encounter when working from home is the lack of exercise, natural light, and fresh air. Make it a staple part of every day that you leave the house.
This can be at whatever time that suits you but could become part of a break time routine during the day.
Even if you only take a short stroll around the block for 20 minutes, you are giving your brain the chance to destress and refresh, and your body the chance to get essential exercise and ward off the perils of a sedentary lifestyle.
Clearing your mind and body helps to boost your working from home productivity levels.
5. Prioritise Good Communication With Your Employers and Colleagues
Communication for remote workers is key, on both an operational level and socially for the connection between colleagues.
Depending on your place of work and the type of tasks you perform every day, there could be any number of tools that help you get along with your day.
Make sure that your place of work provides you with everything you need, including training, and never be afraid to ask for more help.
If you work alone, investigate the different types of software that is applicable to your profession and keep on training and learning to improve your work from home productivity.
The social aspect of the workplace should not be ignored either when you are working from home.
Regular video meetings with your team don’t just have to be about work. Instead, segment them or create separate virtual sessions where you can catch up with each other, talk freely about work problems, and make plans for real-life meet-ups, if possible, just like you would if you worked in an office.
This is important to maintain good morale and to keep you happy and positive about your work. The last thing you want when working from home is to feel cut off and alone.
These 5 tips for improving your working from home productivity levels should go some way to helping you as a remote worker. Finding that dedicated space to call your own workspace, limiting distractions and setting boundaries between your work and home life, maintaining good communication with your colleagues and projects, and making sure you make the most of your breaks, are all great tips for working from home.
