Working From Home: 9 Tips for maximum Productivity

If you are new to the game of remote work, what tips can we give you for working from home?

There is really nothing better than working from your home office before the novelty wears off. You’re going about your day in sweats. You listen to your music of choice. You stuff your face with whatever is in the fridge and you might even work in a nap after lunch. As long as you deliver on time, right?
Totally right. It’s your game and you know how to play it.

But then your wifi acts up, the neighbor can’t keep the noise down and if you live with others, they will soon be up in your business and your workspace no longer feels like working in an office. It’s just a spot in the house where a calendar takes up wall space and the ever-present glow of your computer screen hurts your eyes as you scurry throughout the night to meet deadlines.

Working from home is unfortunately no joke. You need real estate, structure, a work schedule, and most importantly a routine. This is not the time to slack or make use of this time to catch up on your favorite Netflix shows.

Your job depends on it and in turn, this is a good reflection of how you perform during unprecedented times. Now is the time to put your best foot forward while maintaining a work life balance.

Here are some tips for working from home:

1. Early Bird Catches The Worm

2. Schedule, Schedule On The Wall, Who’s The Most Productive Of Them All?

3. It’s All About Aesthetics

4. Work When You Work Best

5. Take Your Breaks Seriously

6. Interaction Is Key

7. Commitment Counts

8. One Thing At A Time

9. Plan Ahead, Stay Ahead

1. Early Bird Catches The Worm

Naturally, if you work for a company in a different time zone you need to adjust your schedule, but sleeping in should not be an option on workdays. Your mindset should be conditioned to accommodate remote work like you would regular office work.

Get up when the alarm goes off, have some coffee, and leave your bed well behind. Working in bed is a concept that only works in the movies and pretty soon your brain will associate bed with work, which only means you won’t be able to switch off once you actually need to rest.

Before you sign off for the evening, have your to-do-list ready for the next morning. When you sit down with your Colombian brew, geek out over the list and work towards progress. This also means that your breakfast cannot be an event. Eat at your desk while you check emails if you must.

2. Schedule, Schedule On The Wall, Who’s The Most Productive Of Them All?

Your brain is basically begging you to trick it. Pretend like you are going to the office and please, sweatpants are comfortable, but they make you feel like the couch is calling out your name.

At home, you are the boss of your time and how you manage your workflow. So, in order to stay on schedule, decide what you will do and when you will do it. Make use of an online calendar where you can set reminders and personal events to help you switch gears and stay on top of your game.

3. It’s All About Aesthetics

Having a dedicated space where you can work from really does make a massive difference and while some of us do not have the luxury of space at home, do yourself a favor and have a chair or a table available as yours. This is essential for remote workers.

If you are able to find a spot outside of your home, like a coffee shop, do it. Having space all to yourself where you can focus is imperative. It helps you get into the right frame of mind and boosts your productivity levels.

Don’t coop yourself up in a space that you associate with leisure time. If your home is not ideal for remote work, make use of places like public libraries and lounges where you can get your work done.

4. Work When You Work Best

Some of us are nocturnal beings and there is nothing wrong with that when it comes to working either. Your motivation throughout the day will have its ups and downs but at the very core of it all, you need to be aware of when you are most productive. Make use of that time to get your most important tasks done.

When you are in that headspace, get the tasks done that really takes a large chunk of your brainpower. Leave the easier, more logistical tasks for when you head into the slower points of your day while working from home. It’s all about building momentum and crossing that finish line with a bang.

5. Take Your Breaks Seriously

Working from home plays tricks on your mind and it’s easy to avoid taking breaks altogether, but at the same time, taking a break from your tasks at hand should not revolve around social media or TV. Get out. Walk the dog. Go to the park or walk around the block.

But most importantly, get away from your desk or working space to recharge your batteries and always be sure to dedicate a specific timeframe for these breaks that you take. It will help you stay productive!

6. Interaction Is Key

You’ll soon become wrapped up in your bubble of remote work and while Zoom and FaceTime might be the norm at present, be sure to work in some human interaction - whether it’s video calls, conference calls, google hangouts, or spending time in person.

Your best friend or chat with a colleague, grab a quick coffee close to home, or just sit down for a chat with someone at home. Don’t let the dark web consume you to such ends that human interaction no longer seems necessary.

7. Commitment Counts

Working from home will bring you to the realization that tasks will take longer than anticipated, but it’s important to have a clear goal of what you wish to complete or achieve each day. Mark your tasks off once they are done so that you have a visual representation of what you have finished.

Committing to your tasks means you are taking your home job seriously. You may overestimate the work time required to get everything done in one day, but what really helps is to overestimate how much you should be doing. This way, you might end up accomplishing more than you actually bargained for. 

8. One Thing At A Time

If you are in motion, you will stay in motion. The busier you are, the more you’ll hustle to get things done. Once your momentum is nitro-fueled, there is no stopping you. But when working from home, you will find that this momentum can easily be broken. Being busy is one thing, but being productive is a different concept altogether.

Focus on your rhythm of completing tasks while working from home and focus on getting one task done at a time. If your job requires you to multitask, line things up so you can effectively manage everything at hand. Find that one thing you can focus on to help you maintain the rhythm you can work to and utilize it. 

9. Plan Ahead, Stay Ahead

The last thing you want to do before you start work is to figure out what you actually need to do. Having a task list ready will keep you focused on what needs to be done and can be compiled at the end of each working day. Having this list at hand means you can make changes to it when something else of higher importance comes along.

Being adaptable is vital when working from home, but it's equally important to have an outline of your agenda to keep things streamlined and organized. You’ll feel more in charge of your workload knowing you prepared well in advance.

Other than the factors we mentioned above, eat fresh, hydrate throughout the day, and ditch the TV while working. Know when to finally switch off and reward yourself for being a remote work warrior. This will let you work remotely in the long term.

Your greatest power is your perspective, so keep that in check and choose to let it empower you. Take control of this ‘New Normal’ we find ourselves in and show it who’s really the boss. 

THANKS

By

Noora

T10T