How to stay productive in working from home?
Chances are you’re making an extra effort to stay productive. Between managing the kids, cleaning, paying bills, and doing laundry, there’s always something on the to-do list that keeps getting pushed back. And you need to be more careful. The convenience of having your office at home can also lead to sloth-like behavior.
8 Ways to Stay Productive When Working From Home
Working from home is a dream for many. It’s also a nightmare for others who are sinking into a lazy and unproductive life.
This can be very convenient for some, but some need help with this setup. With so many distractions like Facebook and other social media sites, managing your time to stay productive can take time and effort. In case you’re struggling with how to be productive at home, consider these tips:Â
1. Set a schedule for yourself and keep it.
Set a goal for the day, and then divide it into chunks of time. If you don’t have a schedule, you will be more likely to get distracted by phone calls or texts from friends or family members who need something from you.Â
You may also procrastinate because there is no time limit to completing whatever task at home with no boss looking over your shoulder!
2. Create a good work environment.
It is easier for you to concentrate on your work in a suitable environment instead of being distracted by other activities.Â
The following are some steps to take to ensure your home office space is set up for success:
- Make sure you have a comfortable chair. If you’re working from home, chances are that your seat is right next to your computer. This chair must have adequate support, so it doesn’t cause fatigue in your back or shoulders as time goes on. It should also make working enjoyable. If possible, try out different desks and chairs before buying anything!
- Have a desk and workspace set up correctly. This includes keeping everything organized within reach and ensuring that the lighting is right so that glare isn’t an issue when reading documents or doing spreadsheets.
- Make sure your computer setup is correct as well—I mean both hardware-wise and software-wise. Make sure all software updates are applied. You want everything working together properly so there aren’t any issues during startup/shutdown processes which can waste valuable time away from productivity!
- Also, get screen protectors because purchasing one will prolong its lifespan.
- Also, ensure all cables are intact. This is because they might bend painfully when reaching over them every few minutes, which could lead to frustration after a while!
3. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep.
Working from home makes it easy to let your work spill over into every other aspect of your life. That could mean staying up late and waking up early to start the day. But if you’re not getting enough sleep, this can negatively affect your health and productivity.
We tend to become irritable, forgetful, and have trouble concentrating when sleep-deprived, making it harder to work productively from home.Â
So make sure you’re getting a whole night’s rest each night so you can wake refreshed and ready for action!
4. Get enough exercise.
Your brain benefits greatly from exercise. Studies have shown that regular exercise improves memory and concentration, especially when completing work. Exercise also helps you sleep better, which further helps with concentration and productivity when it comes time to sit at your desk again.
In addition to these benefits, exercise can help keep you motivated by giving you something productive to do during downtime.Â
For instance, if you’re antsy because the deadline for a project is coming up. Yet, there’s nothing left for you to do other than wait on someone else’s feedback or sign off on something that doesn’t require new input from yourself. Consider heading out for a walk around town or even just sitting outside if it’s nice weather (and don’t forget the sunscreen!).Â
Your brain can rest from all that mental activity without letting anxiety build up in its place!
No specific amount of daily exercise is required for it all to add up. A few minutes here and there will still make a difference in how well we function throughout our days.Â
But try making sure “exercise” isn’t just another task on an already long list before bedtime every evening. Instead, schedule some time every week because exercising is essential to stay productive.
5. Keep distractions to a minimum.
It can be tempting to let distractions take over when working from home. Whether it’s your phone ringing, a friend is stopping by, or even just the desire to get up and check out that new recipe on Pinterest, things will always pull you away from the task. But to stay productive while working from home, you must keep these distractions at a minimum.
To focus on your work, turn off your phone. This will help ensure that when someone calls or texts you with an urgent matter — which they probably won’t — they’ll know where (and how) to find you and leave their message for later if necessary.Â
Another strategy involves closing doors between rooms where people are active and keeping them open only when needed. Hence, as not distract others while trying different techniques throughout different parts of an office space without having access through multiple doors at once.
6. Limit your social media use to around three times per day, and limit each visit to ten minutes or less.
You can easily lose track of time when scrolling through your feeds on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat.
To increase productivity at home without succumbing to procrastination via mindless internet browsing, limit your social media use to around three times per day. And limit each visit to ten minutes or less.
Also, to help ensure sticking with this schedule, set a timer for 10-minute increments during which you’re allowed on social media sites. For instance, every two hours between 9 am and 5 pm (or however often fits into your day). If an important work project comes up while you’re in the middle of a post or status update binge session (it happens!), there’s no excuse not to get back into the zone ASAP!
7. Don’t work in bed; you’ll be more likely to doze off.
Working in bed is bad because it’s easy to doze off. The best position for working is sitting up and leaning slightly forward at a desk or table.
Find a suitable spot for your office and make it as comfortable as possible: Get out of bed and go somewhere else!
Post a “do not disturb” sign to prevent family members from interrupting you all day. If they must come into your office while you’re working, ask them not to speak loudly.Â
If someone asks if they can get something out of your fridge, tell them no until later in the afternoon or when it’s more convenient for you.
Make sure everything is where it needs to be before starting work — laptop or desktop computer, phone charger, pens, and paper (or whatever tools you need).
8. You need to take a break every 90 minutes
You can lose interest sooner if you start work after this 90-minute window.
Take breaks! Your brain needs them to stay focused during long stretches of work time.
For you to stay focused and avoid distractions from other things, it’s essential to take breaks. Taking breaks will help you get up and move around, improving your health and energy levels. The most important thing is that breaks give your brain time to rest from whatever activity or task you have been doing.
If possible, take a 10-minute break after every hour of work rather than just once per day—you may find that this helps keep yourself motivated throughout the day!
The reality is that working from home is more complicated than working in an office environment. It requires constant discipline and energy and can lead to burnout so you need to be more careful.
Working from home can be distracting, but you can still achieve productivity with some discipline.
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