One of the hardest things about working from home is remaining productive. There are so many things to distract you from remaining focused on the task at hand. Not to mention, with no supervisor or set working hours can make it easy for you to slack off on the job. As your livelihood depends on your level of productivity, it’s important to find ways to adapt. Continue reading for some advice on how to accomplish this.
Home Office
The best way to be productive during business hours is to designate an area to be your home office. Having this workspace helps to put you in a zone to perform at your best. A home office also serves as a safe haven away from all the distractions in your home.
Comfortable Furniture
It’s hard to stay productive throughout the day when you’re not comfortable. Keeping in mind that you’ll be sitting for hours, it is highly recommended that you shop for comfortable furniture. This includes a comfortable desk and office chair. You should have plenty of legroom and a chair with a cushion that also supports the neck and back. Furthermore, you should take a look at different office tables in order to find one that fits all of your equipment with ease. Having a comfortable office will make your remote working experience a lot more enjoyable.
Office Supplies
Another thing that can throw off your productivity when working from home is not having the necessary office supplies. Whether you need pens and paper or printer ink and file folders, make sure that you have all the necessary supplies you need to perform each work task.
Office Tech
Just as important as having common office supplies, you’ll need technology to streamline processes and perform necessary tasks from home. This not only means investing in a quality computer and printer, but purchasing applications, software, and tech devices you need to perform your job easily.
Set Work Hours
A great way to remain disciplined and productive while working from home is to set work hours. This is essentially a block of hours out of your day that you will dedicate to working. During this timeframe, you are not to get distracted by personal tasks.
Plan Breaks
Trying to work a straight 8 hours or more without a break can slow your productivity. Therefore, schedule time throughout your day to step away from the computer screen. You can take a 15-minute walk around the neighborhood, take a break to prepare and eat lunch, or even spend a few minutes listening to music on your bluetooth radio while lounging on the couch or enjoying some time in your backyard.
Create a To-Do List
You can greatly improve your productivity when working at home by creating a to-do list. This is a list of tasks that need to be completed each day. Write this list every evening before the end of your workday and review it in the morning to add some structure to your day. You can write your to-do list on a piece of paper, download an app to your smartphone, or create one on your online calendar. Using digital to-do list or task planners is ideal in that you can also set reminders and receive notifications to help you remain on task.
Take Care of Your Health
Whether you’re aware of it or not, your physical and emotional health can have a significant impact on your level of productivity. When you work from home, there are a plethora of physical and emotional challenges to overcome ranging from sitting all day to feelings of isolation. Do the best you can to take care of your health for improved productivity. This includes eating three healthy meals a day, taking regular breaks, exercising for at least an hour a day, getting outdoors, and socializing with friends and family.
Outsource
If you have the financial means to do so, it may be necessary for you to outsource certain business tasks. When you’re running a business from home, you tend to take on many tasks that can be physically and emotionally taxing. By allowing an independent contractor or agency to handle these things for you, you can free up time and improve your productivity.
Working from home takes some getting used to. This is especially true when it comes to remaining disciplined and productive. While it can take some time and practice to get it all down packed, the above-mentioned ideas can help to eliminate distractions, improve workflow, streamline processes, and improve y our productivity.