- By Camila Ante
Working from home is awesome... until your pet gets on the keyboard and your neighbor gets creative and decides to build a time machine, for which he will need all kinds of tools (the noisier, the better).
For many modern professionals, working from home from time to time is a privilege that companies grant, but which work environment allows us to be more productive, the home office or the real office?
Below, we've compiled a list of great tips for working from home with the help of some of our amazing coworkers.
1. Start early
If you work in an office, the commute to work can help you wake up and feel ready and productive when you get to your desk. At home, however, the transition from pillow to computer can be much more abrupt.
Hard as it may be to believe, one way to improve your productivity when working at home is to get to work as soon as you wake up. Or after physical activity in the morning. Starting a project as soon as you get out of bed can be key to making faster progress during the day. Otherwise, you risk a long breakfast and innate morning sluggishness taking away your motivation.
2. Pretend you have to go to the office
The ideas associated with working in a real office can make you feel more productive, and you don't have to give them up if you work from home.
When you work from home, continue the routine you would follow if you went to an office: set your alarm clock, make yourself coffee, and dress nicely. Internet browsers like Google Chrome even allow you to set up multiple accounts with different toolbars at the top. For example, one toolbar for work at home and another for work at the office.
3. Organize your day as if you were in the office.
When you work at home, you are your own boss, but if you don't have meetings or commitments that give you short breaks during the day, you could lose concentration or end up exhausted. Sometimes we even forget to wash our hands!
To stay organized, divide up your tasks for the day and when you will complete them. If you have an online calendar, create personal events and reminders to move from one task to another. With Google Calendar you can do this easily.
4. Have your workspace
Just because you don't work in an office doesn't mean you can't have your own office. Instead of lying on the couch or in bed (places we associate with activities in our free time), assign a specific room or space to work. You can even apply many of the office cleaning strategies to your own workspace at home. Having your workspace tidy and clean will also prevent you from any accidents you may suffer as a result of clutter.
5. Don't stay at home
Telecommuting doesn't work for you? Then get out. Coffee shops, libraries, public places and other spaces with Wi-Fi can help simulate an office environment that will allow you to stay productive even when you're not in a real office. In fact, moving around is a practice you should keep in mind, even when you return to the office.
You can also take advantage of this time to do some postural hygiene exercises.
6. Commit to doing more
Projects always take longer than initially estimated, so we often manage to do less than planned. Just as we should overestimate the amount of time we will spend on an activity, we should also overestimate the number of tasks we will accomplish during the day. Even if you don't reach your goal, you will end the day with a list of concrete tasks completed. In any case, always try to adopt habits that maximize your performance.
7. Plan your tasks in advance
Spending too much time defining what you will do during the day can prevent you from getting those tasks done. Also, if you plan your to-do list with so little time, you may be tempted to change things on the fly.
Changing what you need to change in your schedule is important, but so is sticking to your scheduled activities for the day. Try to record activities in your planner the day before. This will make them carry more weight when you get down to work the next day. You will even know when you can take an active break during the day.
8. Use technology to stay connected
Working from home can help you focus on your work in the short term, but it can also make you feel disconnected from what's going on in the office. Messaging apps and video conferencing tools can help you stay in communication with your colleagues and appreciate how it impacts your work.
9. Talk about what you hope to accomplish with someone who is at home with you.
You may be working from home, but you have company. Make sure your coworkers, siblings, parents, partners, and even pets (okay, maybe not pets) respect your space during work hours. Just because you're working from home doesn't mean you're really at home.
10. Take a break
It's so easy to get distracted when you work from home that you may be tempted to never take a break to avoid this situation. Don't let the guilt of working from the comfort of your home keep you from taking short breaks. Even at home you can suffer from work stress. Instead of just opening YouTube and watching some videos, take advantage of your breaks to get away from your desk. Go for a walk or spend some time with whoever you're with at home. Your posture will thank you. Just avoid procrastinating as much as possible.
Working at home can be a great challenge but also an opportunity to be more productive.
Source: Hubspot
