As a growing number of employees and small business owners are swapping the office for a home working environment, knowing how to stay on top of your schedule is paramount to keep productivity at a maximum.
Time management is among the most common challenges people experience when they settle into working from home. But there are a few easy tips and tricks to manage your time more wisely.
Use productivity tools
There are plenty of good reasons why productivity apps and software are so popular. They can help you stay focused and keep on track with tasks that you define up front. Even a traditional paper daily planner can boost your output. It’s ideal to set aside one day per week to plan ahead. If you’re working alongside a partner, you could set aside some time to go through any childcare or house duties.
Establish a routine
Getting into the habit or working from home and during designated hours is a great way to keep your home and working life balanced. It’s a good idea to get up at the same time and stick to your morning ritual before starting to work. Similarly, make sure you know when to switch off. Around four in ten people working from home are working longer hours than they would if they worked in an office. Schedule a lunch break and take frequent smaller breaks to give your eyes some rest and move about. This is even more important if your work requires you to be in front of the computer all day.
Avoid multitasking
While it may seem like a superpower, multitasking isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. On the contrary, people who tend to switch back and forth between tasks are less efficient. That’s because the mind needs time to adjust and refocus on a task. Multitasking can be a waste of time and reduce job performance.
Focus on what’s important
Time management isn’t just about ticking off the items in your calendar. It’s also about making the right decisions. If you’re new to self-management, check out these useful tips to develop better strategies to manage yourself. One of the main complaints of people who start home working is that they get distracted by personal tasks. Committing to staying away from household chores can seriously boost your productivity.
Avoid surfing the Internet
One of the biggest wastes of time is scrolling through social media and online posts. It’s natural that we want to stay in touch with people and sometimes we may get side-tracked on one of our little breaks, but you’d be better off looking out of the window or taking a quick walk. You could either mute notifications from apps or download special software to limit your screen time.
There are plenty of strategies to help you stay efficient while working from the comfort of your home. Even small things like noise-cancelling headphones or a desk plant can be useful.
