Be Productive Working From Home
As the COVID-19 or coronavirus outbreak continues to grow, you might be required to work from home. At first, you might be think this sounds great...then the reality sets in when you quickly realize there are challenges you might face. Such as staying connected to your colleagues, avoiding at-home distractions, adjusting to a new working space, being self-motivated, and or course being productive.
Yes, working at home can come with some challenges, but if you follow a few tips you can turn these into opportunities and probably feel less stressed at the end of the day.
Workspace
If possible, try to setup a dedicated workspace, possibly a spare bedroom, basement, or attic. While using the kitchen table or your bedroom might work, you'll find having a dedicated space will provide more of a "going to work" mindset. In addition, not having to clean-up your workspace every time you need to "go to work" will be a better choice.
Getting Started in the Morning
Everyone has a different needs in the morning to get started. Some can roll out of bed, grab some coffee and get right to work. Others it might prefer a workout, shower, and some coffee before jumping into work. Whatever puts you in the mindset of "going to work" will get you ready to tackle the day.
Take a Break
No this doesn't mean browsing Facebook or Instagram. Get away from your computer or phone screen and give yourself a real break. Step outside for some fresh air or just a quick walk throughout your home. This will help you stay productive throughout the day, remember you won't have the direct socialization to recharge yourself.
Lack of Social Interactions
While being isolated in a home office can provide an environment where you can focus on objectives and tasks. It can also lead to to a feel of isolation. To combat this stay connected with your team by using video call, rather than just phone calls. Most likely you'll have access to a collaboration platform at your company such as Microsoft Teams or Zoom.
Boundaries
Make sure you are setting some limits as far as your working hours. It's easy to get into a routine where you are working at all times of the day and night, rather than sticking to a routine. While logging extra hours might feel like you are accomplishing more, the fact is this can lead to a decrease in productivity when done for too long. Now, if you have a project deadline to meet, logging extra hours can be fine when there is a finite finish line in place.
Self-Motivation
First, avoid distractions during your working hours. It might seem like a good idea to stream some Netflix or similar, but this can draw your focus away from from your task at hand. In addition, avoid interacting with every tone or beep coming from your phone, these are all distractions and will lead to a decrease in your motivation and productivity.
Hopefully these tips will help you create your own routines to make you productive when working from home, whether it's temporary to long-term.
To your success!!