As convenient and beneficial as working from home can be, it can also prove to be damaging to productivity.
The trouble is, up until now, you’ve associated your home as a space for relaxing. So, it can be difficult switching to a more productive mindset when you’re in the comfort of your home.
But it’s something that needs to be done. If you want to make money as a freelance writer, you need to make sure you’re making the most of your time.
The good news is, there are ways to boost your productivity when remote working. Here, you’ll discover some of the best ways to stay productive when working at home.
How to be productive working from home
De-clutter your workspace
You’re going to find it hard to stay productive if your workspace is cluttered. So, before you start, take time to clean up the area you’re planning on working in.
Get rid of any clutter and organize the space. The cleaner and tidier the space is, the easier you’ll find it to focus on your work.
Take breaks to get out in the yard
Suddenly being cooped up in the house all day can be detrimental to productivity. It can cause issues with low mood and leave you feeling less motivated to get through your workload.
By taking regular breaks and making time to get out into the yard, it can really boost those productivity levels. Spend just 10-15 minutes gardening or reading a book outdoors to help refresh productivity levels.
Always prepare for the day ahead
When you go out to work, you know there are things you need to do to get ready for the day. You have a routine that prepares you for work. However, when you start working from home you don’t really have that.
Rather than thinking you can now work in your pajamas all day, make the effort to get dressed. Create a morning routine that sets you up for work. That way, you’ll find it much easier to stay productive if your mindset is geared towards work.
Time Management Hacks When You Work at Home
Out of all of the issues that home working presents, time management is one of the most problematic. How can you get everything you need to get done completed when there are increased distractions to contend with?
Below, you’ll discover some great time management hacks you can implement when you work at home.
Avoid trying to multi-task
It’s common to try and multitask when you’re working at home. Whether it’s trying to work on two different projects at the same time or trying to work and take care of the kids, multi-tasking can prove detrimental to your productivity.
Instead, you’ll need to focus on just one task at a time. When you focus on just one thing, it makes you far more productive. Similarly, grouping similar tasks together can help you to complete them much quicker.
Set yourself realistic deadlines
A good time management tip when you’re working from home is to set realistic deadlines. You’ll want to compile a list of the most important tasks you need to complete that day. Then, work on them in order.
Set yourself a specific amount of time for each task. You’ll find this really helps to keep you focused on the job at hand. When you work to deadlines, it helps you to get more work done in a shorter timescale. This is because you’re much less likely to check things such as social media when you know you only have a set amount of time to complete what you’re working on.
Take advantage of productivity tools
If you take a look online, you’ll find a lot of productivity tools available. Many of these are free to use and they help to boost productivity when working remotely.
Task management tools are especially great for productivity. They enable you to keep in touch with the team, organize tasks and see exactly what needs to be completed.
You can even find time management tools online. These enable you to better utilize your time, ensuring you get the most important tasks done first.
Eliminate distractions
One of the biggest challenges you’re going to face in terms of time management is distractions. There are a lot of distractions when you’re working from home. Whether it’s the phone ringing, the temptation to check social media, or the television; it’s easy to procrastinate with so many distractions around you.
This is why it’s really important to work in a quiet space away from distractions. You could also purchase noise-canceling headphones to ensure you don’t get distracted by surrounding noise while you’re trying to work.
Time management can be difficult when you’re working from home. However, the tips above can really help you to minimize the challenges it presents.
How to Deal with Distractions
One thing you’re going to have to master when you work from home is minimizing distractions.
There are a lot of distractions you need to contend with such as household chores, the TV, social media, and kids. So, how exactly should you deal with these distractions to ensure you can work more efficiently?
Below, you’ll discover some great tips to help you deal with distractions when working from home.
Use the distractions as a reward
Distractions don’t have to be a bad thing. They can be used to reward yourself after completing work tasks.
For example, if you love nothing more than to curl up in front of the TV watching your favorite shows, allow yourself the opportunity to watch something after completing a project.
Similarly, you could use social media in the same way. Once you’ve completed a task off your to-do list, reward yourself with a short period of time on your social media channels.
Using distractions as a reward can help to keep you focused and boost your motivation to get your work done.
Consider working in various parts of the home
It’s common to set aside just one place to work from. However, did you know you may find it more productive to work in various areas of the home?
It’s all about adding variety into your new working environment. Some days, the spare room may be the best place to get work done. Other times, you may find it more beneficial to work on the dining room table or in the backyard. Don’t limit yourself to where you can work, mix it up and watch your productivity levels increase.
Add a little background music
This tip might not be useful to everyone, but many professionals claim working with background music can limit their distractions. You’ll want to focus on calming music, rather than something that makes you want to sing along.
Alternatively, listening to podcasts and audiobooks in the background can also work well. So, if you struggle with productivity, try adding a little background noise and see if that helps.
Reside to check emails sparingly
Checking emails is important when you work from home. However, it can also take up a lot of time. So, you’ll want to limit how many times you check them during the day.
Ideally, you’ll want to check them first thing in the morning, then after you’ve completed each task you’re working on.
Turn off notifications
Finally, a great tip is to turn off those notifications. Social media, news, and app notifications can all prove really distracting when you’re working from home. So, turn them off until after work to boost productivity.
It’s not always easy limiting distractions when you work from home. However, the above are some of the most effective tips you can follow to deal with the distractions that may crop up.
Working Through Stress and Uncertainty
Are you struggling to focus on work with everything going on in the world right now? If so, you’re certainly not alone.
Working through uncertain and stressful times isn’t easy. In fact, it can feel almost impossible when your mind is so taken up by fear and anxiety.
If you’re struggling right now, there are some tips you can follow which may help. Here, we’ll look at some of the most effective ways to work through stress and uncertainty.
Practice gratitude
Did you know that practicing gratitude can make a big difference to how you feel? Studies have shown that writing a list of the things you are grateful for, can drastically improve your mood.
By focusing on the things you’re grateful for, it trains the brain to think more positively. You’ll switch your focus from the bad things going on right now, to the good. For example, working from home may be challenging, but at least you’re safe and have a home to work from.
Try to establish a routine
Now that you’ve found yourself working at home, it can feel really strange. You don’t know how to navigate your working day when you’re not in the office. So, by creating a routine, it’s going to help to ease some of that uncertainty.
Have a set time that you wake up and start work. Make sure you schedule in breaks throughout the day and have a set finish time too. Just implementing a routine can erase so much of the uncertainty you feel right now.
Utilize support that’s available
One of the good things about this uncertain time is that it is impacting everyone. This means there is a lot of support available out there.
It could be you need to spend more time connecting with friends and family. Or, you may find it useful to share your concerns with others in online support forums.
You can also find more practical support too. If you’re struggling with your finances or worried about how the current situation will play out, don’t hesitate to seek emotional support from a trained therapist for example.
Focus on self-care
Finally, try and focus on self-care during these uncertain and stressful times. This will really help to reduce the stress you feel.
Exercising regularly is a great way to deal with stress. You should also focus on doing things that relax you each day, such as meditation, reading or listening to music. The more you practice self-care, the less stressed you’ll be throughout this time.
Overall, it’s hard not to stress and fear what might happen during a pandemic. However, the tips above can really help you to manage those feelings. Remember to be kind to yourself and don’t expect too much from yourself, particularly when you first transition to working from home.
