How to Stay Productive While Working From Home
In this blog post, I’ll share with you my best tips on how to stay productive while working from home!
2020 has been a year where so many of us were thrown into working from home. During the pandemic, so many offices closed and sent employees to work from home.
For many people (myself included), it’s challenging to adjust to working from home! Here’s my tips to stay productive while working from home:
This post is all about how to stay productive while working from home!
7 Tips to Stay Productive While Working From Home
1. Keep Your Regular Routine
With so many things changing recently, keeping my routine helps my day feel somewhat “normal”. For me this includes:
- Waking up early and getting my exercise in – this always energizes me!
- Getting dressed for work – as tempting as it is, I do not stay in my PJs.
- Working during the same hours- When I worked in the office I worked from 8:30am-4:30pm, so I work the same hours from home.
2. Create a Separate Workspace
I think it’s really important to have a dedicated workspace. Personally, I am lucky to have a den in my apartment where I have a desk and chair. As silly as it sounds, I feel like I’m “going to work” when I head into my little office, which helps me get in the mindset to do work. I’m just not nearly as productive when I work from the couch or my bed! Now, I know not everyone will have a room that they can designate as their “office”, but even having a desk in your bedroom or living room can create this separate work area.
3. Make Your Workspace Comfortable
Similar to having a separate workspace, having a workspace that is comfortable is crucial. If you spend 8+ hours in front of a computer every day, this can take a toll on your body. That’s why it’s important to try to set up an ergonomic workstation. Some employers even offer to cover some expenses when setting up a home office! Mine didn’t, but I found a few items that are worthwhile to invest in:
This lifts up your laptop up to eye level so you can avoid neck strain caused by looking down all day.
This is an alternative to using the trackpad on your laptop, which I find hurts my wrist over time.
A second screen is a must-have for me. This is less for ergonomics and more for productivity. Instead of clicking back between tabs on a small laptop screen, I can see so much more on a monitor. The monitor linked isn’t the exact one I have, but a similar one!
4. Don’t Mix Work & Home
When I work from home, there’s so many thoughts that pop into my head – the load of laundry that needs to go on, the dishes that need to be put away, etc. It can be tempting to do those things as soon as you think of them. But, interrupting you work day with household tasks can really interrupt your workflow, and it will be hard to be productive if you have constant interruptions.
Instead, try to jot any “home” tasks down on a list and do them at a dedicated time (ex. during a scheduled lunch break, or after work!) rather than throughout your work day. That’s not to say you shouldn’t take breaks, but it’s important to avoid blurring work tasks with home tasks- it can be a slippery slope!
5. Stay Social
Working from home can sometimes feel isolating. Unlike a traditional office setting, you don’t have co-workers that you can connect with regularly. Since working from home, I miss little things like chatting with my co-worker at my desk in the morning. So, here’s a few easy ways to stay social while working from home:
- Connect virtually – use whatever tools your work provides like Zoom, Google Hangouts, or Microsoft Teams to connect with co-workers.
- Walk & talk- if you don’t have co-workers (ie. if you’re self-employed), I suggest taking a break to go for a walk, and call friends/family on the way.
6. Eliminate Distractions
This tip may seem like a no-brainer, but is sooo important! Identify what you are being distracted with, and make a plan to remove the distraction. Do you find yourself constantly on your phone throughout the day? Move your phone to a different room. Do you have noisy neighbours playing music? Wear headphones and play instrumental music to get in the zone.
7. Don’t Expect Perfection!
It’s important to give yourself some slack, especially if you’re brand new to working from home. Working from home brings new challenges, and there’s a bit of a learning curve to adjust. So, be too hard on yourself if you’re not 100% productive all the time. That’s normal!
I hope you found my tips on how to stay productive while working from home helpful! If you have any other tips that have been working for you, please comment them below!
This post was all about how to stay productive while working from home!
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