Work From Home- 6 Tips To Ace It % - Being Sen

There was a time a few years back when I really wanted to work from home. In my mind, that was supposedly the ultimate freedom- working at my own pace at my own place. Now that I actually work from home, I have come to realize that it is not a path of all roses. Granted, it is pretty awesome to be working from the familiarity of my home. But following certain rules makes it more productive.

Right now, many people across the world are in the work from home routine. I can imagine that it isn’t what everyone wants or is comfortable with. Many people do not have the luxury of the privacy or arrangements necessary to work uninterrupted from their homes. And yet, at this time that is perhaps what they are doing.

Having said that, there are certain actionable measures that one can take to increase their productivity when working from home. In today’s post, let’s take a look at some of those. Perhaps you already follow them. Or maybe you can find something useful to incorporate in your life.

1. Prepare For Your Day

It is easy to fall into the habit of not preparing for your workday when working from home. Not having to go out of the house creates a sense of complacency. However, the first thing that you need to do to be productive is to create a formal mindset regarding working from home.

This means preparing for your day just as you would when going out to work. Wake up at a reasonable time, get ready, change out of your PJs into comfortable yet nice clothes, have your breakfast, and start at a designated hour.

When you prepare appropriately, you bring structure to your day. This allows your mind to get into the “work” mode and thus increases productivity.

work from home — Image by fancycrave1 from Pixabay

2. Have A Designated Spot

Most of us, when working from home, tend to set up shop anywhere. Some of us even try to work from our bed. That simply doesn’t work in the long run.

Have a corner in your home as a dedicated workspace. If you have a desk and a chair then that’s perfect. However, if you do not have the opportunity to set up a desk, the dining table will do. Just make sure to work from the same spot every day and it will become a habit. When you sit on your bed with your laptop, you run the risk of slacking and not getting anything useful done because you are in an environment that is used for things other than working. That is why it is essential to have a clear demarcation between the place you relax and the place you work.

3. Follow A Routine

Routines are a highly essential part of maintaining a productive workflow. When we work from home, we tend to forget this. Instead, we feel that we can go about our day as we want because there is no compulsion of commuting or beating the traffic or arriving at the office within a certain time. But that’s where you can go wrong.

Thus, to have a fulfilling day at work albeit, at your home, it is crucial that you set a routine and follow it.

4. Take Breaks And Stretch

It is not humanly possible to work continuously, without any breaks. When you work from an office, you take some very common designated breaks. Like an impromptu chat with your co-workers over a coffee. Or those 5 minutes after a meeting when people linger and discuss something other than work. Those might seem distracting but in reality, are integral to work.

When you work from home, you do not have these interactions. Hence, you have to time-in breaks into your schedule in order to maintain your productivity levels. Here are some points regarding this practice-

Time blocking and working in short bursts is a highly effective tool, according to some people. You can test it out to see if it works for you.
After every hour or so at your desk, take 5 minutes to stretch. Sitting for prolonged periods is not healthy for us, as it has been proven time and again. Get up, stretch those legs, walk around for a bit and then get back to whatever you were doing.
Drink water! This cannot be stressed enough.

5. Implement Suitable Productivity Measures

Just like time blocking, there are other measures that can be implemented to increase your productivity.

You can choose to minimize distractions while working on something by putting your phone on the “do not disturb” mode. Refrain from checking social media when you have tasks to complete. Other people block their own calendars to work. For example, my husband blocks two hours in his calendar each morning because that’s the time he codes best. But since he was usually getting pulled into meetings that could wait during this precious working window, he was losing the flow. That’s when he started blocking time. No one actually bothered him about it and now he gets his uninterrupted coding time.

You will know best what works for you in this regard. Maybe you will have to try a few techniques and ideas before you find your sweet spot. But once you do, it will make working from home quite a lot easier.

6. Remember To Switch Off

Last, but not least, do not forget the importance of getting off work. This is especially tough when you do not have a clear timeline to pack your bags and head home. But do not underestimate the importance of having a specific time to stop working and spending personal time.

Your mind needs to recharge and working continuously is bound to confuse it. Set a schedule and turn off your laptop in the evening. Spend time with your family or pet or cook or do whatever that catches your fancy. Take rest, refresh, and start the next day with aplomb.

A Little Goes A Long Way

When it comes to being at the top of your game when working from home, a little planning and effort go a long way actually. Following the above steps and carving out a system that suits your working style is pivotal to achieving success in this aspect. Just remember to listen to your instincts and try things until you find the right ones

Peace.

Do you have any related experience or story to tell? Please share in the comments below. I would love to hear from you.