Working from home can be a lifeline for people who can’t leave home for health or safety reasons. They don’t have to give up a career or source of income while restricted to the house. However, working from home has its challenges. Distracting things are plentiful, from television to social media, and staying focused requires a concentrated effort. Here are some tips for staying productive when you work from home.
DESIGNATED WORKING SPACE
While it’s tempting to flop down on the couch in the living room in front of the TV, that’s almost certainly an environment for decreasing productivity and increasing distractions. It would be best to have a dedicated home office, whether that’s an office space or a guest bedroom. It should be a quiet area without television so that you’re not tempted and you stay productive. In an effort to create a work life balance, don’t allow your work area to be used for anything else by you or by other household members. This plan has the added benefit of making it easier to separate your job and family time when you work from home.
DESIGNATED WORKING HOURS
Some employers set your work hours for you, even when you’re working from home. However, if your manager lets you choose your work time, or if you are self-employed, like many people, you have the opportunity to set your work schedule. Some people focus more efficiently early in the morning, while others are night owls. Whatever schedule you choose, it’s important to keep it the same every day and try not to deviate from it, but do take breaks to get up and move around. This strategy helps business contacts know when you are available and lets others in your household know not to interrupt or distract you during that time. It might be helpful to post something on the door of your work area that lists the work hours.
DESIGNATED WORKING WARDROBE
What you wear has a direct impact on how you feel and how productive you are. Even if you aren’t conducting face to face meetings, dressing in a way that is appropriate for an office setting helps keep you in a professional frame of mind. This one tip is also beneficial if you have to jump on a last-minute Google Hangouts or Zoom video conference call. When you dress for whatever comes, you’re ready for the day.
DESIGNATED WORKING SUPPLIES
Stock your workspace with all the standard office supplies, such as pens, folders, and paper. Designate them for work mode only and not for use for the kids homework or household projects. Keep these supplies within easy reach, and when you start to run low on something, replace them right away. You don’t want to run out of something right in the middle of a big project.
DESIGNATED WORKING EQUIPMENT
The equipment you need to get more work done at home varies depending on the kind of work you do. You will probably need one or more monitors, a phone, and a headset for communicating. You will also want a comfortable computer chair and appropriate desk furniture for your work space . If your home is noisy, you may also want noise-canceling headphones. If you have equipment that you keep on hand but don’t use regularly, check it on a set schedule to make sure it works properly. You don’t want to wait until you need it to discover that it doesn’t work.
LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE OPTIONS
Cardi’s Furniture and Mattresses has many options to help you set up your ideal work environment to stay more productive while working from home, throughout the day. Our innovative furniture choices in office and desk chairs let you customize your space to work for you. Visit us today, and let us help you build the ideal work area in your home.
________Image Credit: Shutterstock/ MT-R