Working From Home

 

5 Essential Tips to Stay Productive While Working From Home

Tips to stay productive while working from home

Not everyone struggles with productivity while working from home

1. Limit the Zooms

You’ve probably heard about how too many meetings (especially long ones without a road map) can be a huge waste of time. Virtual meetings are no different—but now, there’s an extra catch: Zoom fatigueThe reason for the phenomenon is simple. Virtual meetings require us to excessively stare at not only the people in the call, but also ourselves.

So before you start filling up your and your employees’ calendars with virtual meetings, you might consider:

• Condensing the number of meetings you have into more meaningful meetings
• Substituting some meetings with email or another communication tool (e.g., Slack)
• Hiding self-view (so you’re not staring at yourself!)
• Turning off your camera from time to time

2. Set up a separate workspace if you haven’t

If you or your employees work out of the living room or bedroom, it may be time for a change. Setting up a separate workspace, if possible, can do a number for productivity. Who wants to work where they sleep? Or sleep where they work? You get the picture.

A separate workspace can help you separate home and work. That way, you’re less tempted to do laundry or take personal calls during the workday. Likewise, separate spaces can help you and employees truly be done working after the workday ends.

Of course, having a separate workspace won’t work for everyone. Whether you’re in an apartment, condo, house, tiny house, or whatever else, you may not have the space for a full-scale office. The good news is that there are work-arounds. For example, you can set up shop in a corner and use a room divider. Or, you can mentally draw the line between work and home when you step away from your desk for the night

3. Map out your days with a list

I don’t know about you, but the days are getting busier and busier. You’re bound to lose track of at least one of the things on your mental to-do list, which could lead to a mess of confusion and frustration.

You can prevent forgetfulness by writing down what’s on your daily agenda. That way, you won’t lose track of the tiny tasks that fly right out of your head. Not to mention, checking off tasks on a list just feels good. You might get a sense of accomplishment that motivates you.

So if you want to be one of those people who makes a list, checks it twice, and enjoys the satisfaction of crossing things off it, you can:

• Create your list as soon as you start work.
• Decide on a hierarchy (e.g., do you want to order your tasks from most to least important or least to most time-consuming?).
• Reward yourself when you cross something off (Now I can get that second cup of coffee!).
• Stay on one task

  4. Invest in the best (technology and tools)

  Computer crashing. Speakers not working. Wi-Fi going out. These are just some of the inconveniences workers may deal with when working from home. And let me tell you, nothing snaps you out of a productive state of mind faster than a full-fledged computer shutdown.

  Working from home has the potential for technological mishaps. Heck, working anywhere—even your office—has the potential for some. So rather than worrying about tech mishaps, equip your team with the right tools to get the job done.

  Make sure your team has the right technology and tools like:

  • Reliable computers
  • A communication platform
  • Cloud storage services
  • High-speed internet
  • Printers

    5. Get into a groove

    Need to listen to music? Have to have at least eight hours of sleep? Whatever it takes for you specifically to be productive, do it. Whether you’re working in the office or in your home office, you’re still you. And, you still have to find and get into the groove that makes you productive.

    Here are some rituals workers swear by for productivity:

  • Having a morning routine
  • Listening to music
  • Adding plants to the workspace
  • Taking 20-second blink breaks every 20 minutes (if you’re looking at a screen)
  • Exercising consistently and regularly before or after work

    Think of your own work-from-home productivity hacks

    If you’re part of the 14% that is more productive in an office, take a stroll down memory lane. What did you do differently? You could get a productivity boost from something as easy as getting dressed as if you were going into the office.

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