10 Things That Increase Your Productivity While Working From Home

A lot of people find themselves these days working from home. Working for a home for a few days would be fine for most people. The problem is that no one really knows how temporary this kind of distancing really is. This temporary situation might take longer than expected; way longer.

In 2011, I found that it would be beneficial, financially speaking, to let go of our corporate office and ask our small team of I.T. professionals to work from home. I've never gone back to having an office. After I sold the company, I started doing everything from my home office, and I still do.

Here are ten things to think of. Each one of these creates a real impact on your productivity working from home.

1. Create a workspace.

Find a space to use consistently for work. If you believe that the situation is temporary it could well be the kitchen table. but dedicate it to work and while you work, make sure to remove all your home "stuff" from it so it does not distract you.

2. Plan your day.

Define your start and end time, just like you would do in a job. You may tweak your schedule to match the hours when you know you are the most effective. To make the most out of this defined time, you must plan it using whatever tool you normally use: A planner, an app, or just a to-do list written by hand. At home, it becomes more important because of the higher likelihood of distractions.

3. Dress for work. Shave. Get ready.

There is something subliminal that gets triggered when we get up and dress for work, shave, or put on your make-up. You get into an energetic "work mode". Not to say that your energy is higher than normal, it is simply the energy of working, that comes along with behavioral and thought patterns that belong in that work context. It isn't just the office that induces it, it's your pre-work rituals. When you are at home, repeating that ritual is helpful.

4. Develop an evening routine.

We all know how our morning routine affects our day. But so is the lesser noticed evening routine. As the day winds down in the office you do certain things: shut down the computer, say goodbyes, and go home. When you work at home, there is nowhere to go at the end of the day, and this alone could trap you in working mode. Develop a routine that signals to your subconscious mind that the workday is over.

5. Minimize distractions. You are at work, after all.

To be as productive as you can, you must avoid distractions, positive and negative. Because during these times the entire family may also be at home, it is important that you disengage and be able to focus on your work. Close the door to your workspace if you can. Have the TV off and do not use the home phone so you do not get distracting phone calls. If possible, keep your children and pets away.

6. Set expectations with the others at home

You find yourself at home alongside your children, your pets and perhaps tenants and others. Make sure to communicate your expectations. If you want to be left alone during the workday, tell them. If you like to set up a sign that says "Do not Disturb", create an agreement about how it works. I have definitely been heard saying "honey, I'm home" at the end of a workday in the other room!

7. Use technology to stay connected.

As you make the shift from office to work make sure to let people know how they can find you. Change your phone voicemail greeting as necessary. Forward the work phone to your cellular phone. Get access to your email and work files. In many cases, this step involves working with your corporate I.T. department to create VPN connections and special access tools.

Also, this is a great time to get on-board with free, on-line collaboration tools such as Asana and Trello to keep you and your co-workers on the same page, and free video conferencing platforms such as Zoom or Skype to keep the face-to-face communications going.

8. Stay out of the kitchen.

I am dead serious about this one. That little coffee break in the kitchen might turn into a very, very long break. Put the kettle on and while the water boils, get the coffee ready, clean the counter, wash the breakfast plates and so on. A very long break indeed!

A great way to avoid the kitchen at lunchtime is to prepare your lunch the night before, just like you would for work. This way you do not need to go in there halfway through your day and risk losing your momentum.

9. Exercise and move your body.

This is not really exclusive to working from home but since so few actually remember to do it and since it is an important component of our immune system I add it to this list. You MUST move your body. Evolution did not develop Human beings into a species that can sit around for a lengthy period of time. We need movement and exercise to stay healthy. Take short and frequent breaks to move, walk outside (where you also get sunlight and fresh air) or do light exercises such as some jumping jacks or pushups.

10. If you get sick – take sick days.

This is also counter-intuitive but I have seen it happen and I have been guilty of mishandling the situation. Hear me out. When we get a cold at work we take sick days to rest and heal and stay home so we don't transfer the cold to others. Do not mistake the fact that you can work from home to mean that you must do it even when you are sick. Not only will you be ineffective, but you will also take longer to get better

Yoram Baltinester leverages his multi-disciplinary experience with technology and personal development to partner with high-performing entrepreneurs and leaders for the purpose of driving better results in their businesses, developing their teams, and increasing their level of leadership. He specializes in aligning purpose with decisive action to help these successful professionals reach the next level of personal success.

To learn more about how Yoram might make a difference in your organization, call him at 858.356.6751 or email [email protected].