Working from home may sound like a great idea. You get out of bed, get breakfast from the kitchen, and take two steps and you are in your home office. You do not have to beat the traffic, put up with annoying colleagues, or have someone watching your back. You can monitor your kids, do house chores, and even run errands in between your workday.
This can only be possible if you are organized and productive during your working hours. Working from home can be isolating. You might find yourself catching up with a few episodes of a show you were watching on Netflix, laying around on the couch, or simply eating all day. It is very easy to get distracted. While these distractions cannot be avoided, there are a few things you can do to improve your productivity while working at home. Below are some tried and proven tips that could change your work routine.
Declutter your working space
A clear room equals a clear mind. Working in a cluttered room will kill your productivity. Create dedicated spaces for everything to avoid clutter. File papers and arrange them in a cabinet. Clear out the shelves and your desk regularly to get rid of any items that you no longer use.
Use the color blue for your walls
Blue is said to create calmness and allows people to focus. If you need to sit behind a desk alone and work for eight hours, the little things such as the color of your wall matter.
Have useful distractions
You will without a doubt get distracted during your workday. Instead of falling for the temptation to watch Netflix or browse through videos on social media, have some useful distractions around you. These could be weights, a Rubix cube, or books. You can take a few minutes of your break to go through a chapter or keep your weight in check instead of watching unnecessary videos.
Design your home office appropriately
You must invest in good furniture. A good chair will protect you from experiencing back problems and a simple minimalist table that is of the right height will be perfect next to that chair. You should also ensure the room allows in natural light that does not directly reflect on your screen. You can also add some greenery to the room. You can add some succulents and ferns as they are low maintenance plants. You should also invest in a good custom office door. It is a statement piece which you can get it in a variety of designs to suit your taste. If you will be spending eight to ten hours in a room every day, why not invest in it?
Have a consistent daily routine
The key to productivity is time planning. Plan your day and have a consistent routine. Determine what time you wake up, do your basic cleaning tasks before heading to your home office. If your workday starts at eight, waking up five minutes to eight will simply mess up your entire day. Have a task list of the things that you need to do on a particular day and prioritize the most urgent as you work through the rest. You can also start by checking the simplest tasks off your list, this will motivate you as you will feel some weight is off your shoulders. You should also incorporate some activities that will help keep your energy up all day.
Warm-up your space
Some small upgrades like a good quality rug, heater, or AC unit can make a big difference. You do not want your feet freezing as you are chasing a deadline. You must keep the space warm to achieve maximum productivity.
Designate a space
The final and most important tip is to work from a designated space. The temptation to work from bed or the couch will be there. Have a dedicated space for your home office if you want maximum productivity. If you do not have extra rooms in your house, you can use dividers or decorative screens to section off an area that you will design into your home office.
While these tips can help you concentrate for longer, it is also necessary that you get enough sleep, drink lots of water, and remember you are at work. Some people tend to forget that while working from home, the targets remain the same and the same efficiency you would have in an office is equally needed. You should also ensure you improve and master communication for better productivity.
