Working from home is a great way to benefit from convenience, simplicity, and flexibility. However, it can also have an impact on productivity. By and large, people actually tend to be more productive when working from home, as recent studies have shown. However, this is a generalization, and working from home productivity levels can vary from one person to another.
If you work from home but struggle with productivity as a result, there are various steps you can take. The right measures can help to ensure you benefit from maximum productivity even when you work from home, which means you can enjoy the best of both worlds. From choosing the right office to looking into workflow automation solutions, there are various factors that can play a part in productivity. We will look more closely at some of these in this article.
5 Steps to master your working from home productivity levels
There are various steps you can take in order to improve working from home productivity. Some of the key steps to take include:
Think Carefully About Your Office Location
One thing you need to do is to ensure you set up a home office from which to work. You need to have a dedicated work area if you want to be productive, and this needs to be in the right location within your home. It is important to find a room that does not have people passing through it all the time and is not used regularly by your household. This needs to be a room that is as far from the main rooms of your home as possible.
Your office should not double as a home storage area or children’s playroom. If your home office is crammed full of boxes or cluttered with kid’s toys, clear it out and make it a professional space.
Create a Working Routine
It is also important to create a proper working daily routine – essentially, you are going to the office but without the hassle of being stuck in traffic beforehand. So, for a good morning routine, you should still set your alarm to get up at a specific time, get dressed and have breakfast as you would if you were going out to work, and then head to your home office. Make sure you take a lunch break and then finish work at a reasonable time, just as you would at a normal office.
Steer Clear of Online Distractions
One problem that many home workers have is steering clear of online distractions. You may not realise it, but having the television on can limit your productivity and make you lose focus. Stay in the zone by sticking to your home office space and don’t let yourself wander over to the couch with your laptop.
If you are at the computer for most of the day, it can also. be really tempting to take a quick look on social media, check the news, or browse Amazon. Before you know it, hours have flown by and you still haven’t come anywhere near getting through your work. It is vital that you steer clear of online distractions until your official working day is finished.
Pretend You Are at the Office
When you are working from home, you essentially have to pretend you are at an external office and act as you would in this situation. Basically, you are at the office, and the fact that this is located in your own home should not result in you slacking on work.
By dressing for work every morning, you are signalling to the world (and yourself) that you’re ready for business. It also helps family members that live you understand that you are working (not just lounging at home) so they’ll be less likely to interrupt you as you’ve signalled you are in ‘work mode’.
Get out of the house sometimes
While working from home is convenient, in the beginning it can be isolating. Ensure you’re not stuck in a rut at home by attending local networking groups or business meet ups. This will improve your local network, lead to more business, and stop any feelings of isolation that may creep in. Working from a local café for a few hours is also beneficial for my mindset and my ability to connect with new potential clients.