Work from home productivity tips

How to maximize your productivity working from home

There are things you can do while working at home to stay focused and productive. How you design your home office, control ambient noise, and organize your daily tasks can all help or hinder your productivity levels. Follow these tips for working from home so you can complete your work in a timely and organized manner.

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Set up an isolated home office

Design an official office to work from while at home. Use an official room or area of a room instead of working from your bed or couch so that you don’t feel sleepy. Incorporate a desk or a table that you can keep your computer, work phone, paper, writing utensils, and any other tools you need to successfully do your job. If you have a room you can use, ensure there’s a door that you can open and close for times when you’re especially busy.

If you keep everything you need at your fingertips, you’ll limit how much you need to get up and leave your home office space. This can also help you stay focused on your work-related tasks instead of getting distracted by other things you need to do around the house.

Wake up early

You don’t want to rush into work when you’re physically going into an office, so you should practice the same punctuality when working from home. Don’t sleep in late. Wake up early enough to groom yourself, eat breakfast, play with pets, get your kids ready for their day, and whatever other morning tasks you like to start your day with. Giving yourself this additional time before you start working can also help you complete tasks around the house that might otherwise worry about completing throughout your day.

Turn off the (non-work) electronics

Time can easily fly by when you’re using your smartphone or watching TV. Something as simple as checking your personal email or listening to a voicemail can pull you down the tunnel of checking all your social media accounts and even playing games. If possible, turn off your phone or put it on silent while working from home. Leave the TV, tablet, and other electronic devices powered off as well. You’ll minimize your distractions by only focusing on the devices and tools you need to complete your job.

Make a daily to-do list

Set goals when you start your workday. Whether you’re checking emails, making business calls, attending virtual meetings, or completing assignments, you’ll want your day tentatively planned. Make a to-do list at the start of your shift using your computer or a pen and paper. Be as detailed as possible with what task you want to do, how you want to do it, and how many times you want to do it. If you want to check your email no more than three times a day, mix those different times into your list. This list will help you stay productive while working from home and limit other non-work-related things you may want to do.

Take breaks throughout the day

Even though you want to be as productive as possible while working from home, you don’t want to burn yourself out either. Take scheduled breaks throughout the day. Give yourself time to stretch your legs and take your eyes away from a computer screen. Get a glass of water and a quick snack to make sure you have enough energy to stay productive the rest of the day. Take longer breaks to interact with your family or play with your pets. You’ll give your mind time to reset and recharge when you take breaks throughout the day. Once you return from your break, you’ll feel ready to tackle your next work assignment.

Create a schedule for your family and pets

It can be difficult to stay productive while working from home when you have other people in the house with you. If your spouse, kids, or pets are at home, add them into your work schedule. Use a calendar to schedule time with them around the times you want to complete your work. Interact with them during your breaks. Keep them updated on when you have meetings and other do-not-disturb moments where you may close your office door. Creating a schedule for feeding, playing with, and walking with your kids or pets can help keep you productive when you’re working and keep them taken care of throughout the day as well.

Although working from home can be packed with distractions, you can combat them by creating a structured workday. Follow a schedule and a to-do list so that you can plan and measure how productive you are each day. Take breaks to give your mind and body some rest. Set up a home office that makes working from home quiet and convenient.