Working from home is a great perk whether you are an entrepreneur or just work for a company with a modern take on working from home. For anyone who has enjoyed this perk though, you know it can come with its own set of challenges.
An office is set up to be an optimized workspace and your home is designed to be functional, as your home. There are also far more distractions around your home as well, be it TV, video games, heck maybe even a nap.
With all of this in mind, it’s important to go into working from home with a plan to build out an optimized routine that helps you manage your workflow and stay productive. Let’s look at some tips on how to take advantage of this perk while still getting all of the work you need to do done.
Routine is everything. The first part of building your process should be just that; build out a daily process and routine. According to CNBC.com, a great place to start is getting dressed. I will take it one step further and say sticking to your morning routine is vital. Get up, work out, check your email, make breakfast, drink a coffee, shower, and then get dressed. You may be working from home but keep your morning routine the same and start the day off on the right foot.
If you go into the day ready to work, then the results will follow suit.
According to the same article, you will want to set up a workplace in the most productive spot in your home. You need a space that can hold all of your work materials in an organized and efficient way.
Medium.com furthers this point by suggesting investing in your infrastructure. We are a technology-driven species at this point and invest in whatever tools you need to work well.
This can be costly initially, but it will be vital to your success. Does your job require that you have two monitors? Then you need to have a dual monitor setup—no ifs, ands or buts about it. The amount of time you will waste in an inefficient setup will be far greater than the start-up costs to set up your home properly.
Make sure your communication channels are taken care of too. Your coworkers and clients need the same type of access to you when you are home. Whether this is email or an instant messaging system, make sure you are properly set up.
A schedule is also very important to working from home. An article on Hubspot talks about how important it is to take breaks and have a schedule. Recharging is a crucial part of working and just because you are working from home doesn’t mean you don’t deserve breaks. Using time to step away from your workspace and your work will allow you to be more productive.
During those breaks, you can go for a walk, play some games on Videoslots, get a mini-workout in, or even just watch part of the new episode from your favorite TV show. It’s always a good idea to give your brain a rest, even for a brief period of time.
Blocking time is important in the office or at home. Setting aside defined amounts of times for specific tasks will allow you to focus on a task by task basis and in the end, be more productive.
Here are those steps again:
- Have a morning routine
- Have a proper workspace
- Have your infrastructure and technology set up
- Schedule your day
- Have available communication
- Take breaks
When it comes to working at home, it really comes down to being organized, having a plan, and eliminating distractions. Working from home can be one of the best perks of running your own business or working at a company that allows it. The absence of a commute and the ability to work from the comfort of your home are intended to allow you to get more done. Now it’s on you to build out the proper infrastructure and plan to get those things done.
