Boost your Productivity while Working from Home

Do you work from home? If you are, then welcome to the club, my friend! Many forward-thinking industry giants have opted to implement work-from-home setups as soon as the pandemic set in but most experts are saying that this set up could be the future of work. There are many benefits to this work set up as employers wouldn’t need to worry too much about facilities, utilities, and other expenses related to setting up an office or workspace. And some workers who live in areas far from the workplace, this could simply buy them extra hours to practice a hobby or spend more time with the family. But, there is one thing that many corporate leaders, workers, freelancers, and even business owners are concerned about with this kind of work setup – productivity. Now it’s so much easier to track performance when everyone is in the office but how do you measure that comprehensively when you’re working remotely. Even working adapting this setup can find challenges because at home – you end up having more distractions especially when you have family, kids, and pets around the house. 

So, if you’re working from home but having trouble being productive, then read on to get a few tried and tested tips to help you through everyday working at home:

Prepare and Get Yourself Ready to Start Working

At the beginning of each day we all have a morning routine and even if you work from home, you need to make sure you still maintain a preparation routine to get yourself in that mindset that you’re ready to get productive. Being able to focus for a long period of time is what you want to achieve but you end up feeling a bit off and distracted when you feel like there’s something missing from your morning routine. Some people can’t even function well enough until they get that cup of coffee in the morning. Just because you’re at home doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get ready first. Get ready and make every day count!

Make a List of Tasks for the Day

This is something that you can do by the end of the previous day so you don’t rush it in the morning. Even if you’re working from home, you need to set a to-do task list that cannot be compromised and cannot be pushed back later. These are tasks that you need to commit to for the duration of your work day. This practice can help you make the habit of making yourself accountable for the tasks you’ve done and didn’t do for the day. If a daily list is not working for you, then try a weekly list that can be a bit more flexible. Just make sure that you hold yourself accountable and you can keep track of your progress- this helps you to stay on track if you’re being productive or not.

Set up a Space Especially for Work

Having a work conducive workspace is very important to boost productivity that employers would pay a fortune just so they can make it happen for their employees. Luckily for you, as you work from home, you don’t need to spend a fortune. You simply need to set up a nice corner with a seat that doesn’t mess up your posture. There are other things to add in your nice productivity corner, such as keeping water nearby to make sure you’re dehydrated, playing some nice productivity music to keep you focused, and adding a bit of spice by keeping some pre-brewed coffee in a thermos so you won’t need to keep on making a new batch – another unwanted distraction especially when you’re on a deadline. The ideal workspace truly is different for each person. The key is to make sure to get away from distractions so you can be focused for longer periods of time.

Take Breaks but Track Them so You Don’t Overdo it

When you work, make sure you put in a few breaks in between. Taking a break is also a tip but you need to track them to make sure you don’t overdo it. It could have been great if you had a break buddy to tell you the moment you need to get back to work but when you’re working from home, most people around you would motivate you to extend your break than follow your pre-set durations. A good trick would be to set alarms when you can start and end your breaks. Track yourself and get into the routine fluidly and naturally. Then, you’ll get to a point where your body remembers and you’ll feel the moment you need to end your break. Don’t rush it but get yourself into the habit gradually as that will have a more lasting effect. 

Acknowledge Your Accomplishments and Reward Yourself

Now you did everything you can, got focused, and met all your deadlines with these productivity hacks. The next thing that you can possibly do to stick to your routine and stay productive is reward yourself. If you know that you did a great job and you accomplished everything on time, acknowledge yourself and celebrate the wins – big or small. When you work from home, there’s usually no one else around who would understand your work well enough to validate your accomplishments and give you a pat on the back for a job well done. 

Remember that when you work from home, you may feel isolated but you’re not. There are many people all over the world who are in the same boat as you and are having trouble getting focused and productive from time to time. Always remember that all it takes is a few adjustments to make your current work setup, the best setup for you. There will always be a learning curve and an uphill path that may seem difficult at first but when you get that groove – you can make anything possible.