Remote working can be great. You get to work right at the comfort of your own home and manage your working hours all by yourself. However, remote work can also be a different experience than working in an office.
The office environment encourages productivity while at home, you might be prone to distractions. A lucky few can tune out noise and distractions, but most of us often fall into a rabbit hole of procrastination and inefficacy.
Our homes are places where we rest after a long day of work. Making our haven into a place for work can be difficult, especially if we’re used to associating rest with it. As a result, a lack of productivity while working remotely can happen.
Thankfully, there are a lot of ways you can boost your productivity while working from home. In this article, we’re going to discuss seven remote working tips to maximize your productivity to ensure that you get your work done on time even though you’re not at the office.
- Have a space dedicated to working
It’s essential to dedicate a specific place just for working. This can be an office or a small corner in your room if you don’t have a lot of space.
If you already have an office in your home, that’s great. If not, you should work on finding a special place just for remote working. This should be the first thing you do before anything else.
If you have a home office, it’s time to turn it into your remote workspace. If not, find a room not used very often and transform it into your remote workspace.
Working in your bed or dining room can be counterproductive, and it will be hard to shut off after office hours since you’re already at home. With a dedicated workspace, you’ll feel more motivated and productive. You’ll also be able to log off much easier.
- Take breaks
Working from home can make it easier for you to work long hours and not take any breaks. Doing this can cause you to burn out much easier, which can be counterproductive.
So, make sure you take breaks, even if it’s just 5-10 minutes. Instead of browsing Youtube or scrolling through Instagram, try going for a short walk and enjoying some fresh air.
To make sure you’re getting enough rest, try using a Pomodoro timer so you can get some rest in between work.
- Meal-prep the night before
In the office, we’re often used to buying our meals or eating out. When working from home, we likely have to prepare our own meals.
Preparing meals at home can take a bit of time. This might hinder you from doing actual work. So, if it’s possible, try your best to prepare meals the night before. This way, you can save uptime, and you won’t have to worry about breakfast or lunch the next day.
- Have a definitive finish time
Many think that working from home equates to a better work-life balance. Although that might be true for some, it can also disturb one’s work-life balance.
It’s easy to get caught up in work when you’re comfortable. To avoid drowning in work long after office hours, establish an ideal time to log off. Make it clear to your colleagues that you won’t be available after a specific time.
- Don’t forget to nourish yourself
Other than the flexible hours, working from home means full access to your kitchen. This can mean unlimited snacks whenever you want them, which can lead to an unhealthy diet.
An unhealthy diet can affect productivity, so try to keep yourself nourished with healthy foods and snacks. Other than that, get enough sleep and don’t disrupt your sleep schedule. It can be tempting to binge-watch your favorite series on Netflix on a Monday, but doing so will surely decrease energy and productivity the next day.
So, remember to eat healthily and sleep at the right time, no matter what.
- Have a morning routine
If you had a morning routine before working from home, don’t try to change it. Although you won’t need to commute from home to the office, try to keep your morning routine intact by waking up at the same time, getting dressed like you usually do, and having breakfast before you start working.
Working from home usually prompts you to sleep in since work is just around the corner. We don’t recommend this because it can make you even more tired and unmotivated. You’ll also end up working longer hours later on.
- Have a clear plan
Lastly, always have a plan for what you want to do for the day. The newfound freedom of remote work can wreak havoc if you aren’t able to manage it properly.
By having a clear schedule of what you plan to do for the day, you hold yourself accountable. A clear plan will ensure that you do your work and steer clear of distractions.
You can do this by blocking out times to do tasks and keeping a checklist to help you keep yourself on track.
The Bottom Line
Working from home can be beneficial or disadvantageous for productivity, but it ultimately depends on how you tackle the issue at hand. Before you develop any bad habits or if you’d like to improve your productivity levels, take some advice from the tips above. Whether you need to make some space for your remote work, eat more healthily and rest accordingly, or keep a to-do list close by, these tips will surely help boost your productivity while working from home.
