I am lucky enough to have a job that offers the flexibility to work from home, and on those days I try to make sure I am just as productive as I am when I am in the office. I’ve heard a mix of different opinions about working from home. Some people like it and some people don’t. I personally love it because it is quiet time where I can work and focus without distractions, and I get to control the temperature of my office (insert always cold me here).
So how do you stay productive when you work from home? These are some tips that have been helpful for me during the 5 plus years that I have worked for companies that allow remote work.
Have A Designated Space To Work
I turned an unused room in my home to an office space and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I have a door to close when I need to get on calls, or when I just want to have time to focus on my work.
If you do not have a full room that you can designate as an office, find a space in your home that you can make yours. Having a space to put your computer and other work items comes in handy on busy days when you don’t have a lot of time to look for things.
I highly recommend that your work space be outside of your bedroom because you don’t want to associate your room with work, and you don’t want any temptations to take a nap, that’s a big no.
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Ideas for a small workspace below:
I like to use my work calendar to block out time to complete my necessary tasks. I am also very old school in the sense that I like to write out my big to-do’s for the week as well as for each day.
Try to map out the big items you need to accomplish and create a plan for what needs to be done first. I typically do this by thinking through deadlines and working on the tasks that are due the soonest first.
Another great way to stay on task is to set reminders on your phone for things you need to do. Find what works for you and implement it into your routine to help you be more efficient with your days.
Be Efficient With Your Time
So you have your schedule planned, but you still need to make time to actually accomplish your work.
Block Your Time
It is very easy to get caught up in a series of meetings each day. So make sure you block time on your calendar to actually accomplish the work that you planned in your schedule.
I typically block 1 – 2 (depending on the day) hours of time to get busy work done. 1 hour toward the beginning of my day and 1 hour toward the end of my day.
Batch Like Tasks Together
If you are working on tasks that are similar to one another, batch them together. So if I know have to create two timelines for two projects, I will schedule those tasks in the hour that I have blocked on my calendar.
Batching works well because you are already in the mindset to do a certain kind of task which makes it easier to continue doing it.
Schedule Breaks/Plan Your Meals
I am guilty of staying in my office and continuing to work to the point of being hangry when I am working for home, so make sure you schedule breaks for yourself throughout the day ( a reasonable amount).
What has worked for me has been to pack a lunch for myself the same way I do on the days I am going into the office. So if I cook dinner the night before, I portion out leftovers to eat for my lunch on the days I work from home.
Avoiding the urge to snack poorly: How many times have you been at your desk and thought about a not so great snack you can eat to hold you over until you have time to eat real food?
Snacking all day is a bad habit that you want to avoid, especially when you are siting down all day and not burning any energy. Make sure you stock your house with healthy items that you can grab and snack on when you’re working. I included several healthy options in this post.
Work Life Balance
When you spend the day working form home, it can be hard to want to leave the house. I’ve definitely had days where I worked all day and never left my house I’m sure I am not the only one, right?! This is a bad habit that we want to avoid. One of the best ways to avoid this is by scheduling things to do outside of the house on days you work from home.
I try to make sure I still make it to the gym for a workout, and after work hours I try to schedule something to do like grabbing dinner or meeting up with friends. Whatever you do, just don’t spend all of your days inside working. Obviously, you should complete the important tasks that you need to do, but make time for you when the important work is done and the work day is over.
It is super important to make sure your home also feels like home and not just the place where you sleep and work, so shut down the computer and get out of your office.
Tips For The Side Hustlers
Schedule time after work hours to work on business related tasks. I try to make sure that all of my work for my day job is done before I switch computers to work on my side business. Never mix the two together!
I keep a separate planner where I write down my top tasks for each week and map out important deadlines for collabs, and sponsored content that I am working on. The best way to be successful at both is striking a balance and never allowing your side business to interfere with your day job.
