Top 10 Tips to Stay Productive and Sane While Working from Home
Working from home tends to blur the boundaries between work and personal life. So how do we stay productive, and at the same time stay sane? SuiteWorks Business Centre has chosen a few of our favourite tips to ensure you stay productive and sane while working from home! Read below to reveal 10 essential tips to stay on track while working from home!
Tip 1: Get Started Early
Routinely we all get up for work and begin driving to our destination. By the time we have arrived to work, we are ready and awake to tackle daily tasks. However, when waking up at home it is much more difficult to transition from your bed to your desk.
One way in which you can eliminate the barrier of productivity when you start your work from home is to immediately start on a project. Do not finish housework or errands around the house, commit yourself to your work right away!
Productivity tip: set a time to start and end your work day!
Tip 2: Pretend like you’re going into work
Continue your normal morning routine. Set an alarm for the time in which you usually would have woken up to get ready for work, wear work attire and have breakfast before you start your work!
The mental association between getting ready in the morning as you would have usually done so and then starting your work tasks results in a higher level of productivity.
Tip 3: Structure your day as if you were at work
Make sure you allocate times in which you take breaks and make sure they do not last longer than what you would normally take at work. If you work best with no music or silence throughout your workday continue this routine while working from home.
Tip 4: Choose a dedicated workspace
Starting your work from the comfort of your bed is one of the worst ways you can work from home. Establish a dedicated workspace at home so you have a clear association with rooms that are work-related vs leisure related.
Productivity tip: never work from your bed!
Tip 5: Plan out what you’ll be working on the day before
Allocate 5-10 mins at the end of your work from home shift to evaluate what you have accomplished and what you need to resume or complete the next day. You can even go as far as planning out your entire week and then adjusting tasks at the end of each work session.
Having a plan before you start work allows tasks to be completed on time and with the right amount of attention to maximize results.
Tip 6: Use technology to stay connected
Schedule a video conference with colleagues to make sure you are all aligned with the same business objectives! Having a team meeting virtually every day allows you to see what goals have changed and need to be met by your employer and division in your company.
It also allows you to ask questions if you are finding tasks difficult to complete and getting the help you need to contribute the best way you can for your work.
Tip 7: Communicate expectations with anyone who will be home with you
When working from home many of us face the challenge of being productive due to family or roommates invading our space. By setting boundaries before you start your work allows there to be a clear understanding of the respect you need when working from home.
Establish with family members or roommates that you will be working from a set period of time and if they need to get a hold of you to reach you through text message, email etc.- as if they would normally have done if you were not at home. This allows you to have a clear and productive space to work from home.
Productivity tip: set boundaries with family to stay sane!
Tip 8: Prepare your meals the night before
Normally you would have arrangements or a plan as to what you would eat before going into work. Make sure this is done when working from home as well. Prepare your meals the night before or make arrangements to have food delivered to you when your break begins.
This eliminates the time in which you would waste making food instead of returning back to your work when your break is over.
Tip 9: Pick a start and end time each day
Set a routine start time and end time each day. This allows your brain to make the obvious distinction that work is beginning or has ended. This results in productive work and a balance of enjoying leisure time with family at home.
Having a work-life balance is essential to making sure you feel sane while working from home.
Tip 10: Exercise and Stretch regularly
Exercise naturally boosts endorphins which is a result of happiness. This is linked directly to working productivity at home. When working from home take 2-minute breaks routinely to get up off your chair and stretch. This helps you avoid becoming sore and helps your quality of life overall.
Happy workers are much more productive than unhappy workers, so make sure you’re exercising and stretching regularly.
Productivity tip: stretch- de-hunch your back and un-crick your neck from your desk!
Now that working from home is the new norm it is crucial to learn the best ways in which you can stay productive and sane while stuck at home. Once you apply our 10 tips your work from home flow will be a new routine you will not have to worry about any longer!
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