The pandemic has entirely changed the way people work and the workplace culture. Everyone has opted to work from home, keeping in mind their family’s safety as well as their own. Either a room or a corner in their home has now become their office, and the internet is their medium of communication with coworkers and clients worldwide. There is a huge debate about working from home being as productive as working from a formal office. Well, I believe, as long as you have the proper mindset and focus, location doesn’t matter!
Here are some amazing tips to make working from home more productive:
Set a Daily Routine
Working from home comes with a lot of distractions like pets, household work, kids, and other family members. So it is essential to set a daily routine you strictly follow just as if you are going to the office for work.
Make sure you get up early, have a filling breakfast, and start work. Take small coffee breaks, as you would at the office cafeteria, and come back to your desk to work. Set a time for lunch and dinner. Follow the same routine throughout the week. Try to dress decently, even if not in office clothes, because you will be on video calls with clients and your coworkers. This helps your body understand you are at work and it is not the time to be lazy.
Set your work hours and stick to them rather than working overtime. Ensure your workspace has all the essentials like: laptop, charger, pen, and/or books you may need. This limits your movement while working and keeps you focused.
Declutter Distractions
Offices are always clean and spacious, which helps employees focus on work without distractions. At home, you have a million things that can distract you from work. Working from home also involves home chores which can distract you easily. Avoid setting up a workspace in TV rooms, the kitchen, living areas, or bedrooms. Choose a room that allows you to close the door and focus on work. Avoid working on beds, couches, or day beds that will make you sleepy and lazy. It’s important to have a desk and a chair with enough natural lighting, preferably by an open window, perhaps facing the garden. Ensure you have your coffee, ready, by your side, in a flask to serve yourself whenever you need it. This eliminates the need to get up and make it, which could lead to distractions outside the office space.
Communicate with Your Colleagues
Stay connected with your colleagues and team through video conferencing to stay productive while working from home. Video conferencing applications are lifesavers in these situations. You have the option to virtually connect with customers and your team, offering everyone something close to the real-time experience of talking face to face.
Video conferencing helps build meaningful human interactions which will boost your productivity and your mental and emotional well being.
Use emails and instant messaging to share formal files, information, data, etc. Google Hangouts, Google Meet, Zoom, etc. are popular applications used for video meetings and instant messaging by the corporate sector.
Create Self-Care Routines
Working alone, without the encouraging and thrilling vibe of an office filled with your colleagues, may bring down your productivity. To help yourself to overcome loneliness, you must keep communicating with your family, friends, and even roommates to avoid depression and anxiety. Work from home can result in overtime work schedules which is bad for physical and mental health. It is important to take small walks, do stretches or exercises [link: https://cloudq.net/at-home-exercise-with-no-equipment-needed-to-rejuvenate-your-body-and-mind/], and take small breaks during work hours to keep your mind and body fresh. Rebooting and refreshing helps you in increasing your productivity.
Practice meditation or yoga which will help you release a lot of stress. An after-work, self-care routine, like enjoying your favorite music, reading a book, or even preparing your favorite food for dinner, can be relaxing for some.
Stick to Work Plans, Discipline, and Motivation
Working from home requires a lot of self-motivation, discipline, and attention to your schedule. Set up a work plan, and make a to-do list daily. Try finishing the list within the given deadline. It gives you a sense of achievement and motivation to be more hardworking. Prioritize your tasks and finish them off within your working hours. Follow a strict routine, and pay attention to the task at hand. While work from home needs discipline, it does not mean you need to be logged in 24/7 and available every second of the day. Be productive within the work hours, and stay calm and relaxed during your off-hours for a better work-life balance. See our 66 days to success post here [link: https://cloudq.net/forming-good-work-habits-when-working-from-home/].
Must-Have Tools to Improve Productivity
When you are working remotely, it is important to use technology and tools to improve your productivity. There are many video conferencing tools, time management tools, CRMS, etc. that help you stay productive.
Here are a few examples:
Video Conferencing Tools:
- Zoom
- Google Hangouts
- GoogleMeeting
Time Management Tools:
- Google Calendar
CRM
- Salesforce
- Zoho
There is a wide range of tools available for your use, both paid and free. Make work from home a more enjoyable experience and ensure you have a beautiful work-life balance. Believe it or not, creating these schedules can save you time and allow you to relax more fully during your weekends and evenings. There are great examples of using old-fashioned paper planners in our article here. No matter how you utilize the tools available to you, make the most of the time you have, and don’t overdo it.
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