How to Stay Productive When Working From Home
Are you a small business owner? Freelance designer? New parent? Just suffering from a seasonal cold? Working from the comfort of your own home can be difficult and distracting. Here’s our guide to staying productive while working from home:
1. Get Started Early & Act Like You Are Still Going to Work
Make sure to set that alarm for 7:00am, and don’t hit that snooze button! Pretend like you’re prepping for a normal day at the office and go through your daily morning routine. You wouldn’t wear pajamas in front of a CEO, would you? Put on your button-down, eat a balanced breakfast, and make yourself a cup of coffee to kick start your day.
2. Structure Your Day Like You Would in the Office
Make sure to start your day at a normal work hour, plan out phone calls, and figure out the priorities for your day.
3. Make a “To-Do” Checklist
It is always important to stay organized during a workday to make sure you get everything done that you need to. Write down everything you need to accomplish that day, and as you complete each item on the list, cross it off. As the list gets smaller, you get closer and closer to the finish line for the day.
4. Choose a Work Space That Works for You
Working from your bed or from your couch in front of the TV may be comfortable and tempting, but it is not productive. Pick a space where you know you can focus on your work without distractions. You can even make your workspace somewhere not at home, like a local coffee shop.
5. Take Planned Breaks
Staying focused, in or out of the office, can sometimes be difficult. Be sure when you’re making your checklist for the day, to add in a 10 minute break after every couple tasks on the list. It will ease your mind, and reenergize you for another focused work session.
6. Stay Away From Social Media
When you’re in the middle of a productive work day, it can become extremely tempting to stop everything you’re doing to watch videos of clumsy puppies and look at pictures of cute babies dressed up for Halloween. However, these things can wait until one of your planned breaks, or until the end of your work day. They may seem like a priority, but they’ll still be there when you’re done with your work for the day.
Working from home can prove to be difficult, but as long as you stay organized, stay focused, and balance your day, you can maximize your productivity without even taking a step outside.
