How to work from home...

As someone who has run my own business for the past 10 years, self-motivation is an absolute must and it’s the very same motivation that you will require when working from home.

With the Corona Virus having a major impact, working from home may be a choice you are lucky enough to have right now. For many, working from home every once in a while is a luxury that our respective companies give us, but here I talk about how to get the best productivity out of yourself when forced to set up office at home on a more regular basis.

Distractions

In your office, your co-workers are often the greatest distractors. Chatting to you about their evening, the day ahead, asking if you want a coffee and then lingering for 15 minutes to tell you what’s happening in their life. Or pressuring you when you’re in the middle of a task to “get the teas in” and then you spend 20 minutes working out what everyone takes in theirs!

At home, YOU are your biggest distraction! At home, no-one is watching you - even though your cat has that pensive look in his eyes and insists on laying across your keyboard (why do they do that?!)

So here are some tips that I find help me to get and stay motivated especially when working from home.

Plan your day the night before

At home you will find 101 things to do before you actually get started on your day, but if you plan the night before you’ll have a much easier time getting off the starting block. Write your To Do list and number each task 1-3 in order of importance. Then break your day into chunks of time with tasks you will be doing (most important first).  And yes, it’s fine to have “put a wash on” or “empty the dishwasher” as part of your daily plan, in fact I recommend it as a quick way to breakaway – just make sure it’s on the plan ans then you get back to your other tasks pronto! It’s probably best to save that pile of ironing for another day though!  (Although the thought of ironing on a work day is so much more appealing than doing it at the weekend - I know!)

Get your head in the game and get started early

Take advantage of your 1 minute commute downstairs. 

Most people have a morning commute where they can think about the day ahead, get their head in the game and be ready to start the day, after they’ve settled at their desk with a latte.

At home, the lack of this commute and therefore the lack of arranging your head, can make the start to your day a little more jarring. This is why planning your day the night before helps massively. Read your plan for the day whilst eating your breakfast or having a coffee, or schedule a morning run which perhaps you wouldn’t have had the time to do previously. This is a great way of getting your head in the zone! I would even go ahead and schedule in 10-15 minutes of meditation too, but that’s not for everyone. 

Most importantly, get started at the time you said you would, no lazy mornings hitting snooze and definitely NO working from your bed!!

Get up, GET DRESSED and get hustling!

Have a dedicated work space

Just because you're not working in an office doesn't mean you can't have an office.

All you need is a desk and a chair. Don’t set yourself up on the sofa or anywhere where you enjoy your downtime. Dedicate a specific room or surface. If you don’t have this space – a local coffee shop can help, but make sure you’re not planting yourself in the heart of a distraction district! Wherever you choose, let this always be your work space!

Disable those social media demons!

Social media is designed to make it easy for you to open and browse quickly. At work though, this convenience is a massive drain on your productivity.

With only a cats stare to ignore, if you don’t have the strength of mind to tear your fidgeting fingers away from Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter etc then mute your groups (or individual people - you know who they are!). 

Online, remove the websites from your browser shortcuts and log out of your accounts to make it harder to flick in and out of them. This goes for your phone too. Many people have an uncontrollable impulse, which subconsciously makes them click on social media or look at the apps on their phone whenever they experience downtime. What a waste of head space! And you can get sucked in without even knowing it (or intending to), so remove temptation! 

Take clear breaks.

Don't let the guilt of working from home prevent you from taking five minutes to relax. But don’t go into the lounge and watch television! Stand up, stretch, wash your hands (!), downward dog, go for a walk outside or around the garden. If you want some internet browsing or social media time, then do it over lunch – but make sure you set yourself a timer! 

Taking breaks, like making a nice coffee, or lunch can recharge you to do better work. Don't assume you need to be working 100% of the time while you're at home to be more productive.

Pick a definitive finishing time each day.

If you’re working from home on a more regular basis it’s really easy to let your work life bleed into your personal life. Maintaining a boundary is important for both halves of the equation. And having a specific end of day enables you to focus on getting your work completed during your work time. Seeing an end also motivates you and gives a sense of achievement when the day comes to an end. And make your last task of the day to plan your day tomorrow!

Sarah Murray - Keller Monroe Executive Search