The current situation has forced us to adapt to remote work overnight. You may think that working from home is a great thing: you are with your family all the time, you don’t have to commute to work. In practice, it turns out that in this situation it is difficult to maintain concentration and productivity.
Working from home, we are constantly exposed to temptations and distractions. It seems that remote work is not as easy as many people may think.
How can we increase our productivity when working from home? Here are some tips.
Organize your workspace
This should be the first step when you start to work remotely. If you can, organize your workspace in a separate room, where your roommates won’t disturb you. It’s also good to inform your spouse/kids/flatmate how it works. They need to understand that the home is your office space now and you need to focus.
Take care of the ergonomic part of your home office
It is important to have a comfortable chair and a good set of headphones with a microphone. Do you know what else can decrease your concentration? The mess around you. Keep your desk and the background clean (especially, if you have calls with your team or a customer). Also (even if this might be obvious) make sure that your Internet connection is stable. There’s nothing more irritating than a long-loading website.
Remember about the work hours
If we don’t need to get up early to commute to work or leave at 5 p.m. sharp, to avoid traffic, it’s easy to lose track of time, while working. You should start your day with a plan, “to-do list”, with one main goal to achieve in a day. It will allow you to focus and will help you be more productive, without working late.
Remember to take breaks
Normally, in the office, you would go for a coffee with your colleague, right? Even short breaks, 5 minutes every hour, are extremely important for your eyes, spine, and productivity as well. It would be best if you set specific hours for it, including a lunch break. This will allow you to maintain your work rhythm and prevent fatigue.
It’s how you start…
Beginning of the day is the most important for how the whole day will play out. Remember to make your bed in the morning, ventilate the room and drop those pyjamas! To boost your productivity, even more, you can start your day with something not work-related. Short yoga session (especially with your pet) or a breakfast with your loved one can make your whole day better.
