Keeping Productive while working from home
Having just entered the working from home all week crowd. I found it hard to stay focused. Keeping your mind on track when you’re in the same place as all your cool stuff, like your TV, Computer, Phone, etc. It was hard at first but I found a system that works well for me, and perhaps will work well for you too! So here is my list of tips for working more efficiently from home.
Tip number one: Discipline
This is probably the hardest part which is why I started with it. But Discipline is by far the most important part of this list. You need to make your plan and stick to it. You will want to wiggle your way out of doing some things because nobody is there to tell you otherwise. But this is when you need to be your own boss. Obviously don’t breathe fire down your own neck, but if you find yourself slacking, just down a couple stretches or even throw on your favorite song to get the ball back rolling.
Tip number two: Setting your own schedule
Setting your schedule helps you not feel terrible about not working when you are taking a break. When I had started working from home I found myself without a proper schedule and when I would sit down and relax I would have a looming anxiety hanging over my head because I wasn't being productive. So the best way to deal with that is to set a schedule. If you’re done at 5pm and it's afterwards you shouldn’t feel bad because you aren’t supposed to be working, and as long as you put in a productive day you should feel guilty free! A schedule free work environment is also a breeding ground for procrastination, and procrastination is extremely bad! Especially if you are making a product. The product will suffer if procrastinated. At the beginning there were a couple of projects I had done in a 2 day span because I was silly and didn’t work on them efficiently and because of that the quality suffered. So all I have to say about this is that giving yourself a 9-5 monday-friday Or whatever times and days work best for you, will help you enjoy those leisure times a lot more!
Tip number three: Organization
Organization is similar to scheduling but it is a lot more exact to whatever it is you may be doing. What I mean by this is to figure out how long it takes to do the task you need to do and to plan accordingly. Don’t put too much on your plate but also don’t give yourself too much time to complete it. Give yourself the right amount of time to complete your project and the idea of having your own personal deadline will help you achieve a final product! Trying to complete too much in a short time can be stressful. So be sure to set a reasonable goal as to not burn yourself out. Burning out will throw all your ambition out the window making working from home your own personal hell, and I for sure don’t recommend it!
Tip number four: Maintaining a clean/safe work environment
Working from home just means that your home space and work space are the same space. This can make more work for you in the sense of cleaning. But it's very difficult to focus on work if you have a sink of dirty dishes or garbage around your work station. You would never leave your workstation a mess if you were at the office so why do it at home? It can seriously affect your work and home life. It goes the same for a mess left over from work. I personally have looked over at a project while I was off the clock and felt bad I wasn't working on it. So it's best you try and separate these two worlds that have been forced to collide. Even if it's just throwing a sheet over your work station while you aren’t working at it. So long as you try to keep tidy the transition from “home you” to “work you” should be smooth. A good tip for this is to pretend you’re sharing the work space with the other You. Ensure your work space is kept clean for the sake of your other self! You will thank you!
Tip number five: Dressing the part
This is a very simple step that I found makes a world of difference. Just simply wake up and make sure to dress accordingly. We all have the temptation to stay in our pajamas all day. But save that for the days off that you’ve given yourself. Dressing in work clothes helps the environment feel a lot more like work. Wearing the right attire will set your mindset to the correct position. From there you will be more likely to have a productive day!
Tip number six: Setting yourself up for success
This tip is the one I found works the best for me personally. What I mean by “setting yourself up for success” is getting yourself ready for the next day of work. An example of this is I will make sure to have a 100% certain task ready for myself the next day. This helps a lot for getting the ball rolling first thing in the morning. Waking up you will sometimes have brain fog. And sometimes you find yourself standing and staring at your work and wondering to yourself “ Where do I even start?”. BUT if you set a task aside from yesterday you can start working on that and this will help you get into that worker mindset, And from there that ball will start rolling and you will find another task to do afterwards and so on!
Tip number seven: Enjoy Yourself
This tip isn’t very professional. But right now keeping positive is hard. There is a lot going on and people are becoming more and more depressed each day. The benefit of working from home is that you can perhaps do things you wouldn’t be able to do at work. Trying not to interfere with your work, try to find something that puts a smile on your face. Maybe you like singing? Or Movies? Or Music? Or something else?! Try to incorporate this into your day. You can’t listen to music at full volume at the office. But at home nobody can stop you! Sing like a dork, Sing to your pets. Put a movie on in the background. I wouldn’t recommend a movie you would want to pay attention to. A comfort movie is a good way to be able to watch a movie but not have to pay too much attention. A movie you’ve seen a million times! Or even a show you’ve watched several times through! Either way, you need to make the best of a situation such as working from home. So have fun!
These were my tips for working from home, I’m fairly new to it myself but as I go along I find more and more ways of making it easier and more efficient! Hopefully these tips can help you out of a rut. Remember that finding habits that work best for yourself is important as well, And don’t be too hard on yourself. Thanks for reading!
