The ability to work from home and the emergence of digital office rental services has led to changing attitudes around where people should work and whether they should stick to the traditional hours and work structures. Many work from home all the time, whilst many others will spend some days working away from the office. But it is not always the utopia many think it is. Working from home is not easy and requires discipline and effort. We took a look at how to work from home efficiently.
Stick To Structured Schedule
If you are to succeed working from home, you must treat your home like a workplace. You must have a structure and a routine to be efficient and get your workload completed. Set a time to begin work and stick to it. Working regular hours will help you stick to a routine. The lack of travel time affords you some leeway, but you should not waste this time and use it productively. If you adopt a flexible, lazy work structure, your productivity will inevitably suffer. Which essentially means…
Plan Your Work Day
One surefire way to keep productivity up is to get smart about planning your work day. Ensure you know what your priorities are, how long you think it will take you to get everything done, and what you will work on if you have extra time. Carry out the highest priority tasks first and be aware of any impending deadlines. It may also help to reward yourself for tasks completed.
Set Up A Workplace
Key to being productive is having a place in your home to work, and to make this place feel like a workplace. When I started becoming self-employed as a content writer, at first I wrote from my couch. This was a terrible idea. It led to laziness and extra breaks. As soon as i purchased a work desk and had it set up like an office desk, my productivity soared.
Escape Occasionally
It is easy to get cabin fever working in the place you also live. So ensure that you get out of the house at least once a day, for however short a period. It will refresh you and hopefully prevent boredom kicking in.
Take Breaks
The human body and mind is not designed to work constantly, for long periods without rest. You will be more productive by doing fewer hours. So take breaks in the same way you would in an office. Take a mid-morning break and a proper lunch break. A refreshed mind and body will see you become more productive as a result.
Dress As You Would At Work
I have been guilty of this. Just because you are at home, it is not an excuse t spend your day in pyjamas or tracksuit bottoms. You my think what you wear does not affect the quality or quantity of your work, but it can. If you act professionally and treat your home like a normal workplace, you will be more productive.
