Work from home has various advantages, such as no need to commute anymore, for example. Even so, it can be quite distracting, especially if you live with family members or if you have flatmates. What’s more, pets, television, and social media might steal your focus at times.
Many people who are new to remote work waste a great deal of time by engaging in certain activities that they wouldn’t otherwise do, like watching TV during the day instead of doing their actual jobs.
4 Ways to Work from Home More Effectively
Read about some efficient ways to increase productivity and eliminate distractions when working from home in the following guide that Attic Recruitment helped create.
Dress nicely
Many people associate remote roles with working in house clothes. While it’s definitely tempting to wake up and start work without doing any steps of your morning routine, like brushing your teeth for example, this won’t help you at all. If you’re dressed for sleeping and relaxing, then it becomes a lot harder to make your brain focus on doing work.
The key to the perfect transition from working in an office to doing so in your own home is keeping your morning routine. Dressing for your position will increase your motivation, at least on a subconscious level. It’s useful to practice for any unexpected video calls, as well. Instead of your commute, do an activity to boost your energy and happiness level, like walking, meditating, and working out.
Stick to productive habits
Work from home can feel strange if you’re not used to it. If you’re new to remote work, here are some tips to help you organize yourself to stay productive and perform well:
- Set clear goals by writing a to do list. That will help you achieve the focus you need to start your day.
- Monotask, as switching from one task to another can ruin your ability to retain information. Only do one thing at a time. Remember to cross everything you’ve done off the To Do list before moving on.
- Begin with high-priority tasks, even though they seem to be the scariest ones. Once they’re done, the smaller tasks will feel easier to accomplish.
- Always take regular breaks, as working smarter is better than working harder. Try committing to 25 minutes of work before a 5 minute break, for example. After finishing four cycles, you can rest for 15 minutes or so. This will help you stay happy and motivated.
- Eat away from your screen and aim to get fresh air and daylight to fuel your focus for the remainder of your work day.
Create a good workspace
It’s best to have a certain spot at home just for work. The point of doing this is to separate home and work in your mind and redirect your focus whenever you’re in one of the two different spaces. Tell your flatmates and family members that even though you’re physically at home, you can’t be disturbed during your working hours. Put your phone on sleep mode to stop notifications from showing up on your screen. Only read messages and reply to them in your planned breaks.
Prepare for video calls
When working from home, it’s vital to be prepared for video calls at all times. Below are some suggestions to do so:
- Test your kit. Try out your computer mic, speakers, and camera in advance, to ensure meetings go well and you look professional.
- Be aware of your surroundings. It’s a good idea for remote workers to hang a sheet behind them, to cover their background and limit distractions in this way.
