10 Quick Tips to Increase Productivity When Working from Home
Everyone wants to work fewer hours (or at least most people do, unless they hate their personal life).
Luckily, it’s surprisingly easy to work fewer hours per week, if you know how to get things done right.
For a start, try
1) sending fewer emails (you’ll get fewer emails),
2) attending fewer meetings (if there are more than 5 people – do you really have to attend?), and
3) shortening meetings from 1 hour to 30 minutes
And guess what?
There are steps you can take to FURTHER improve your productivity and reduce total working hours, especially when working from home.
Working from Home Tips to Increase Productivity and Work Fewer Hours (Boom!)
Below are 10 quick tips to increase productivity at home.
1. Watch the Time
Not literally, but know yourself.
Are you more productive in the morning or in the afternoon?
Save yourself the most difficult, mentally-draining tasking tasks for when you are most productive.
2. Go Outside
Take a lunch break and GO OUTSIDE!
Studies show that people are more productive when they get fresh air and move around.
So even though you take a 30 minute break, you’ll more than makeup for it due to improved productivity.
Bonus Tip: Open a window or screen door when working from home to let in the fresh air.
3. Find Your Zen
Make your home office space pleasant.
Do you like white noise? Get an air cleaner or a small desk fan.
Like music? Play a relaxing music station on Pandora/Spotify.
Light a candle and open your windows to let in the fresh air too.
4. Set Up Your Office Space
Invest in making your office space amazing.
Move your desk to be near a window for natural light (ideally perpendicular – so you aren’t squinting your eyes all day) and get a nice lamp for your desk.
And buy yourself a ring light for Zoom calls. It will make you look better on Zoom.
And please don’t set up your office in the bedroom. It will interfere with your sleep!
5. Get Equipped
Yes, you heard me right. Get equipped!
I cringe when people attempt to do work without a mouse or try to work on one small screen vs. two big monitors.
Invest in at least one extra monitor, an ergometric wireless mouse, and a keyboard.
And for travel, get a portable monitor.
I personally LOVE this portable laptop monitor extender for travel. It’s a game-changer.
Equipment You Need to Be More Productive at Home
1.??????Wireless, ergonomic mouse
2.??????Large monitors
领英推荐
3.??????Portable laptop monitor/extender
6. Become a Rabbit
Did I catch your attention?
Don’t become a rabbit but DO eat like one.
Have an energizing breakfast.
Coffee never hurts, but a fresh piece of fruit and a yogurt is a great way to start your day.
For lunch, have vegetables and low-fat proteins or fatty fish. It will improve your mental clarity (seriously). (Now my coworkers know why I eat sardines at lunch every day. ??)
Drinking water and eating healthy snacks like fresh fruit will also keep you energized and productive when working from home.
Quick Tip: Need ideas for quick and healthy snacks at home?
Below are healthy snacks you can get delivered from Amazon Fresh with free delivery!
Go-To Foods to Increase Productivity at Home
7. Stop Interruptions
Close your door, turn off your email notifications, and close your IM.
Interruptions disrupt your flow and studies show it takes more than 20 minutes to refocus.
8. Make a Private Appointment
Need to focus on something that requires deep thinking?
Block your calendar as tentative or busy and focus on getting the work time.
9. Time Block Tasks
Hate data entry work, admin paperwork, and crafting reports for upper management?
Block a designated amount of time on your calendar to bang out those boring tasks.
You will get the work done quicker (and be less likely to procrastinate!) if you only have 1 hour to do the work vs. an undesignated amount of time.
10. Check Emails Less Frequently
Unless your work requires it, check emails less frequently.
Checking email takes time away from getting actual work done.
Get tips on how to be a whiz at managing your email by Harvard Business Review.
Must-Haves for a Productive Workspace
If you want to be more productive, these are the must-haves for your at-home workspace.
1.??????Wireless, ergonomic mouse
2.??????Keyboard to help you type faster
3.??????Large monitors
4.??????Portable laptop monitor/extender for travel
Summary – Working from Home Tips to Improve Productivity
In summary, being effective and productive when working from home is easy, if you know what to do.
Start with setting up a GREAT working space, limiting distractions, time blocking your work, and getting exercise during lunch.
What Do You Do to Be More Productive?
Have an efficiency and productivity hack that you do when working from home (or at work?)
Please leave a comment below and share it with others. ??