How To Work More Effectively From Home
More and more employees are moving out of the office to work from home due to the spread of COVID-19. They are now tasked with trying to be just as productive without their normal resources and routines. While working from home was once a luxury, it is now a necessary step for most companies and businesses.
If you’re not used to working at home, it can take some time to adjust to the new challenges that you might not experience in the office. Below are some of the proven tips to help you stay productive while working from home.
1) Stick to a schedule
The first most important rule for employees to stay productive at home is by having set work hours. The beauty of working from home is that you can be flexible in setting your working hours. For example, if you are most productive in the morning, then you may want to set your work hours from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. However, don’t forget that you should follow your work-hours schedule each day. Following a specific routine will help you feel more structured and efficient, and will keep your attention focused.
2) Create a workspace
One of the keys to successfully working at home is having a comfortable and convenient workspace. Try to set up your home office in a well-lit room, get a good chair and a work desk. Turn your work area into a place that you love.
3) Take breaks
One of the most effective ways for remote employees to stay productive during the day is to take breaks. You should get up from your chair during the workday, especially when you are particularly tired, grab a healthy snack, walk around your home, call a friend, meditate, do some exercises, check the latest news, etc. Also, you may try various tricks to be more productive and result-oriented when you are working. Pomodoro technique is a classic efficiency practice many people love using.
This technique consists of six steps:
1. Choose your task and calculate the total time to work on it.
2. Set the pomodoro timer (typically it is up to 25 minutes).
3. Work on the task. Avoid distractions and urges to multi-task.
4. End work when the timer rings and put a checkmark on a piece of paper.
5. If you have less than four checkmarks, take a short break (3–5 minutes), then go to step 2.
6. Once you complete four pomodoros, take a longer break (15–30 minutes), reset your checkmark count to zero and go to step 1.
This technique will help you rest effectively and come back to work refreshed.
4) Set boundaries
When it comes to working from home, it’s best to set some clear boundaries with your family while you work. You need to set and stick to specific work hours and communicate that time clearly with your family and friends because otherwise, your productivity may suffer.
5) Keep a to-do list
When working from home, it can be challenging to keep track of what you have to do throughout your workday. It would be best to write down what you wish to accomplish each day so you are not jumping from one task to another because it’s easy to lose sight of priorities, tasks, and deadlines. Set your goals and time limits for each activity. After you complete one task, cross it off the list. This simple technique is both effective and fulfilling. Plan your work and work the plan.
The new reality is forcing all of us to adjust to a different style of life and it directly impacts the way we currently work and operate as a society.
Working from home is a challenge for many employees, and while it might be fun at first, it can be getting difficult to stay productive or inspired for long stretches of time.
The key point here is to set boundaries for yourself that would allow you to feel comfortable and stay focused as long as you need it. To-do lists, an optimized work environment, regular team conference calls are important for making the days ahead productive and as pleasant as possible.
