Maintaining productivity in an office job can be more difficult when your office is your home. However, the past three months have made us smarter and better at working from home. Here are some tips to upscale your productivity while working from home.
Develop a morning routine
It is important to plan your days ahead with a detailed routine since it is very easy to fall prey to distractions at home. Getting ready for work at a specific time every morning and even putting on your work attire is a good way to start a workday at home. Additionally, you should be consistent with your business hours to create a sense of stability and professionalism since this concentrated effort will ensure successful productive days in the long run.
Create a dedicated workspace
It is important to allocate a specific area where you can work or study. A desk, comfortable chair and good lighting are essential in creating a good workspace. Your desk should also be decluttered but with enough items that will motivate you to work such as productivity planners, a timer and motivational stickers.
Work in intervals
When working from home, you will be measured on output rather than the hours you sit at your desk. Learn about The Promodoro Technique which involves dividing your tasks into sections, allocating 25 mins per task with breaks in between. The technique can help make you more productive.
Remove distractions
Our phones are usually chiming up with unnecessary social media notifications and messages that can be avoided. Turn off unnecessary notifications and put your phone on silent, face down or even in another room while working. Uninstall social media apps on your computer which may cause distractions. You can allocate certain times to check your notifications, reply to emails and messages that may need immediate attention to avoid missing important information.
Communicate often
It is more important than ever to maintain clear communication channels amongst you and your colleagues to make sure things are accomplished in the set time. Additionally, your managers need to be informed when things are not working which hinder you from making progress. Keep talking about the areas to improve, aspects of the company you want to explore and how you may get there. Finally, If you are a manager, it is crucial you provide additional context by explaining the "whys" of decisions and their possible effects.
