7 Tips for Staying Productive while Working from Home

Working from home can be a terrific way to manage business and personal life, but with all the temptations at home, it can also be difficult to stay productive. It is important to start building habits from the beginning to avoid distractions.

Here are some tips to help you stay focused and productive while working from home:

1. Dedicated workspace

Believe it or not, a dedicated workspace at your home can make the world of a difference whether it is at a desk or at the dining room table because it mentally separates your place of work from your place of rest. It will also prevent others in your household from distracting you because they will know that once you are in that space, you are working.

2. Morning Routine

As if you are going to the office, set your alarm and go through the same routine. This will help ease the transition from the office to your home workspace.

3. Create a to-do list and prioritise

Create a list of tasks each day that need to be completed. When creating this list, identify what is the most important to the least important. By doing this, it will help keep you focused and on the right track.

4. Time Management

When working remotely, it can be easy to lose track of time, so it's crucial to use time management strategies to keep track of how much time you're spending on various tasks.

5. Take Breaks

While working from an office, it is almost a given that you know 12 pm or 1 pm is lunchtime. You may even get up to stretch or walk to a coffee shop with a colleague.  However, it is easy to get side-tracked working from home as you won't have that distraction.

Consider taking regular breaks and allowing your mind (and body) time to recharge if you truly want to be productive. Spend at least a few minutes standing up, getting more water, or petting your dog or cat every hour or so.

6. Keep with regular hours

Working from home means you do not have to sit in traffic on the way to work and on the way home from work. This means you may want to work longer hours because you have extra time. Try to keep to the same office hours to prevent burning out.

Not only should you stick to regular work hours, but following meeting schedules and having regular calls with your team might assist.

Do not let the change from working in an office to being at home prevent you from adhering to a regular schedule. If you have a set time for lunch, stick to that. If you wake up and work out before going to work, try sticking to that too. The more familiar and constant your work schedule is, the better, so try to continue similar activities at home.

7. Socialising

While being at the office, it is easier to communicate with colleagues because they are closer to you. When working from home, you may feel lonely or isolated. Therefore, it is important to keep socialising at home whether you use Zoom, WhatsApp, or Microsoft Teams. 
 

By following these tips, you can stay productive and focused while working from home.

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