There are a lot of things employers have to do in order to make working from home a safe, secure option for their workers. It involves updating to a zero trust security model, choosing collaboration software, determining schedules, and more.
There’s a lot they have to do, but there’s a lot you have to do to! Working from home doesn’t come naturally to most people. There are things you should do on a daily basis that will help you be more productive so you can convince your boss that working from home really is the best way to get the most work done.
Get Into a Routine
The freedom of doing what you want, when you want sounds great in theory. In practice, it can obliterate your productivity. Doing things like deciding to sleep in, turning on the TV while you work, and answering the door for a friend in the middle of your work day will leave you feeling unfocused and frustrated.
Instead, you should get into a routine that you follow each and every day. Build good habits in the morning, eat lunch at the same time every day, and treat working at home like you would if you were in the office. That means, while you’re focusing on work, you shouldn’t feel guilty for not answering the phone when your mom calls or answering the door when your neighbor decides to stop by.
Stick to the Same Start and Stop Times
Not only should you create a daily routine that you will actually stick to, you should also start and stop work at the same times every day.
When you work from home, and especially if you are able to work flexible hours, it’s easy to stay up a little late and sleep in a little longer in the morning. For others, getting up at the same time may not be a problem, but it’s a little too easy to keep working well after dinner, even though you should have been done with work hours ago.
When you begin and end your workday doesn’t matter, so long as you stay consistent. Once you get into the habit of getting up and going to bed at the same times, you’ll find that you’re able to focus more quickly in the morning and it’s easier to wrap things up when your workday is over.
Limit Distractions
You thought distractions in the office were unbearable! It turns out there are plenty of distractions at home too. A few you will have to contend with include:
- Family—especially children
- Housework
- Email and messages
- Phone calls and texts
- Social media and internet surfing
The good news is that you have more control over distractions at home than you do in the office. Create a workspace and shut the door while you’re working, turn off email notifications, and put your phone on silent. Find strategies that work for you so you can focus for longer chunks of time.
Focus on One Thing at a Time
Think you can multitask and do more than one thing at a time? Think again. Multitasking is a myth.
Instead of thinking that you can watch your favorite TV show and work at the same time or talk on the phone and edit a document, realize that you can really only focus on one thing at a time and modify your workday so that you can. Even if it feels like you’re getting less done, you’ll actually get done with important tasks faster when you can focus, which means you’ll end up getting more quality work done by the end of the day.
Make Time to Stop Thinking About Work
If you spend most of your off-hours thinking about work, you’re actually putting in way more hours than you think. You won’t feel rested and ready to get back to work again when you feel like you have spent all night working because you couldn’t stop thinking about your latest project!
Figure out a method of not thinking about work that works for you. Whether you distract yourself with a hobby, consciously change your thoughts when you start thinking about work, or take up meditation, it’s important to turn off thoughts of work when you’re no longer on the clock.
Everyone has the potential to be more productive at home than they are in the office! Follow these tips and you’ll get more done and you’ll feel more accomplished, all without leaving the house.
