Take A Break Between Tasks
Working from home can be challenging at times. Most people find it hard to set boundaries between office and family times. Some will spend the entire day in the office, while others will waste lots of time with their family, making it impossible to hit set targets or get any work done. Creating and sticking to a schedule, complete with breaks between tasks, is one of the best ways to boost productivity and mental health. The key thing here is to have solid boundaries between work and home hours and learn to take breaks as you would in the office. Make an effort to step away from the desk, preferably walk outside, during breaks.
Create A Timetable Or To-Do List
As mentioned before, it would be advisable to have a well-planned timetable or to-do list to guide you through the day. Take a look at project management trends in 2023 for tips on managing your projects. Staying focused is one of the biggest challenges most people face, whether working from the office or home. Co-workers may be your biggest distractions in the office, and so are your kids, neighbors, or even pets, at home. Creating a time plan for each day can help reduce distractions and keep you focused. The timetable needs a solid plan for the morning, mid-morning, afternoon, and evenings. If possible, hang a notice on the door indicating you are busy at work and that no one should disturb you during this time.
Plan For ‘Unavoidable’ Distractions’
Some distractions, such as your kids or pets, might/can be unavoidable when working from home. Young kids might not want to wait until you take a break to see you. That said, it would be best to plan for such distractions and know how to handle them well. One way to do this would be to balance your personal commitments well, such as playing with the kid on your tea or lunch breaks. Plan your time to align with when school-going children come back home, to spend at least 5 minutes with them. Use the few minutes to connect with them and learn how their day was, before getting back to work.
Take Advantage of Website Blockers
With no one on your neck barking orders, it is easy for one to be sucked into the internet wormhole. Social media, YouTube, or reading unnecessary articles are some of the biggest distractors and causes of procrastination for many people. Identify websites and apps that take up much of your time and consider blocking them during your active hours. You don’t want to spend time updating your bio and tweeting and messaging. Limiting access to such websites to at least a few minutes per day can help boost productivity and create more time to spend with your family. Installing website blockers on your computer or blocking from the router can help you achieve this easily.
Always Dress For Work
One of the perks of working from home is never having to dress up, allowing one to work in whatever attire. While comforting, this can be why you can’t seem to complete even the simplest tasks. Nevertheless, making a habit of dressing for work can help boost your performance and productivity. Dressing for work will also help the brain to switch to ‘work’ mode subconsciously, which means impromptu video calls, such as zoom meetings, don’t take you by surprise.
Socialize
Working from home can isolate you from your friends, workmates, and the outside world. This doesn’t however have to be your life. You could create time to get outside and socialize with other people. One of the simplest ways to achieve this is to choose to work from a coworking space or even the coffee shop for a few hours. All you’ll need is to bring your laptop and a private internet connection, and have an open mind. Some people find working on their laptops while at the park or balcony thrilling and calming at the same time.
Create A Thriving Work Environment
Remote working has its benefits. It makes it easier to make the most of work and life, a reason that more and more people are making it a norm. Creating a work environment to promote productivity without neglecting your personal life by being accountable for everything is the way to go. Just try to show up for work and shut down to join the family on time.
