Working from home can be challenging, especially for individuals and teams who aren’t used to working remotely. But with the right work from home tips, tools and mindset you can make it work. Having a flexible schedule and autonomy can be a great opportunity and a great relief too. However, distractions and lack of all-time supervision can be highly detrimental to your productivity. So we need to make ‘working from homework for us so that we remain focused, motivated and on-target.
Some hacks that are highly beneficial for working from home are:
1. Set up a Home Office or Workspace -
A home office should be your area of peace, quiet and productivity. It is absolutely crucial to have space in your home where you are free from distractions and utterly focused on your work.
2. Keep yourself energised with Tea, Coffee or Energy drinks -
Make your coffee or drink before you sit down to work for the day to collect your thoughts and stay focused throughout. It also ensures that you don't lose your train of thought by getting up to make coffee while working.
3. Listen to music/podcasts -
Music can be very engaging, and good rhythmic tunes help you get into the groove of things and help increase productivity. Similarly, podcasts are helpful while doing mindless work such as data entry.
4. A good motivating Lighting setup -
Light = Productivity. A proper lighting setup that makes you feel comfortable goes a long way in enhancing productivity. Whether you like working in natural light, muted lighting, or bright lights, try to customise your workspace accordingly.
5. Take Refreshment breaks -
Working from home often gets tedious and makes you feel cramped. Instead, try taking breaks to work out or breathe In some fresh air to keep your mind working properly.
6. Smart snacking -
It is important to eat healthy while working remotely, but it is also essential to eat things that make you feel energised. For example, try eating crunchable snacks, which are both healthy and fun to chomp on.
7. Dress productively -
The one benefit you most enjoy while working from home is the freedom to dress how you want. However, dressing up or even wearing comfy but fresh clothes goes a long way in increasing productivity. Sweats tend to make the brain sluggish, thus leading to no work getting done.
8. Using technology to mark your productive self -
Apps such as Google Calendar, Trello etc., make sure that you keep track of all your work and adhere to your to-do list efficiently and in a timely fashion. Additionally, portals such as the Tomato Timer, ClickUp, Airtable, 1Password help you to organise your work, make sure you stay on top of all your work and set timed tasks to complete. Furthermore, they help to map out ideas, timeliness and solutions in a single space.
9. Set aside specific working hours -
Let your family, kids, roommates, friends, neighbours and/or significant other know that you won’t be free for a specific number of hours at a specific time during the workday to avoid distractions. However, do not miss out on your social life.
10. Keep away from the TV and the Phone -
For working-from-home productivity, hide your phone for a few hours a day, or leave it in another room for the entire workday! Ditch the TV, too, to make sure that your entire focus is on your work alone.
11. Steer clear of distractions -
Please make a list of things that distract you, such as Instagram, Facebook or blogs or games, and make sure that they are not available to you during your work time. This immensely boosts productivity.
12. Virtual co-working and accountability buddies -
Virtual coworking is signing into a Zoom call and knowing that you’re connecting with other remote workers during the work-day to make sure that you feel yourself in an office environment and get more work done efficiently. Similarly, having an accountability buddy keeps you on your toes, helps you to complete your goals while continuously checking in with each other.
13. Reward yourself -
Remote working seldom makes way for rewards from your superiors after every small task. However, you can reward yourself with things you want after accomplishing a task or a goal that you had set for yourself. It works as a great incentive to keep you going.
14. Make a proper routine for yourself -
Start your day on time and set alarms to ensure your productivity stays on track.
15. Productive downtime -
Join online communities to battle loneliness and isolation and to stay connected with the world. Similarly, make sure that you attend webinars or learn new skills to have a productive downtime during the workday.
Last but not least, Stay professional! Lay our motivational messages for yourself to pump yourself up and keep you going through the workday. Remote working has changed the nature of the work environment. Make your health (and sanity) a priority so that working from home works for you. Remember to "sign out of work" every night to enjoy time for yourself outside of work. Taking time to decompress and enjoy leisure activities is crucial to anyone’s productivity.