As we all know by now, the global spreading of COVID-19 is keeping most of the people at home from work. Because of that, some companies are now switching to working from home for an uncertain amount of time. If you are new to the whole work from home lifestyle you will definitely need to change your routines and habits in order for you to stay focused and productive. No matter if you have already been working from home or you just started you need to figure out how to work, where to work and most importantly how to create a boundary between personal life and work.
Working from home means that you need to figure these things on in order to be productive and complete your tasks. Here are some tips on who you can stay focused while you are working from home.
Make a Morning Routine
Sitting down at and starting your work at a fixed time is just part of a routine. You need to create a routine that will lead up to your work hours. Creating a morning routine is a great way to ease into the work that you have to do. It can be anything from eating your breakfast and showering to coming home after a run and getting dressed up, it is all up to you. Having a set morning routine is better than any clock when it comes to starting your workday.
Have the Right Tools for the Job
It doesn’t matter how organised you are or how cozy your office is, nothing can increase your productivity than having the right tools for the job you are doing. Even though having the right kind of desk and high-speed Wi-Fi is the key component, having a proper keyboard and mouse will make your job a whole lot easier. The second most important thing is that you need to keep your desk decluttered so you don’t have any distractions around you.
Don’t Stay In Your Pj’s
Believe it or not, clothes that you put on have a great impact on your productivity and performance at work. So when you are wearing pyjamas or sweatpants it can make you feel unmotivated, sleepy and not in the mindset for working. And that is because clothing happens to have a symbolic meaning for people. When you are wearing something that you consider work attire your brain is in work mode and when you are wearing relaxing comfortable clothes you mind thinking that you need to relax. Make yourself dress up every day just as if you were going to the office. Your outfit could be the thing that is keeping you from being productive and motivated.
Have a Dedicated Office Space
In the perfect world, people who work from home would not only have a space they use for the office but they would also have two computers one for personal use and one just for work. That would help you separate your personal and work life the best. But not everyone is able to own two computers or even have a separate space to make it into an office. Instead of that, you can dedicate a table that will be your office and to imitate having computers you can hook up your laptop to your tv.
Stay Positive
The most important thing that you need to do when you are working from home is to stay positive and sometimes be so positive that you think that you are overly positive. That will not only help you feel motivated but it will help you stay focused on the task that you are sure that you can manage to do. It will also make a difference when you are answering your business mail because you won’t sound passive and mean.
Maintain a Base Level of Pressure
People tend to work best and stay focused the most when they are working on a deadline. The more time that you have to do something the more you will procrastinate. And that is where self-set deadlines come in like a charm. In order to be more focused on your work try to give yourself a tight time frame in which you will get a particular task done. This way you will cancel out any distractions and focus on your tasks fully.
Reward Yourself
There is nothing wrong with rewarding yourself with something that you like or want. It can be anything from watching your favourite tv show to eating some chocolate or even some wine. But the tricky thing is that you need to control yourself not to do it before you finish all of your work. The anticipation will make you be more focused on your work and make you do it faster.
Take Breaks
We all know that when you work in a company you have scheduled breaks. Often when you are working at home you won’t take breaks which will lead to you not being focused. You need to have a lunch break and one or two 15-minute breaks depending on how long you are working for in order to stay focused.
Stay Energised
The biggest part of staying focused while you are working from home is having energy. In order to stay energised during your work hours, you need to keep some healthy snacks and a drink of choice like coffee or matcha. If you think that you are going to be working from home from now on it’s a great idea to get yourself something like a proper coffee machine or something that will make staying focused enjoyable.
Don’t Go On Social Media
There is nothing more tempting than scrolling through your social media when you have work to do. A quick peek on Instagram will turn into hours and hours of scrolling. If you can’t trust yourself to leave your phone alone, there are so many apps that you can download that will block them for how many hours you need. But that is not the only distraction, you can still go on social media on your computer. Also, there are add-ons that will set time restrictions on websites like Facebook or Twitter so you don’t use them. During the set time, you won’t be able to access the websites until the set time doesn’t pass.
Save Any Household Chores That You Have For Later
When you are working from home it can be really tempting to go do a quick load of laundry or vacuum while you are working, but doing so will break your focus. If you are a bit of a cleaning freak working from home will pose more of a challenge to you. Because of that, you need to set aside a ceiling amount of time so things don’t mix in your routine. Try doing 10 minutes of chores before you start working so you can focus on your tasks not thinking about chores.
Create and Stick To a Schedule
When you are creating a schedule you have to know what type of person you are. Some people work better if they have every minute of every day planned out even 5 minute breaks should be pencilled in. But others like it better when they make lists and check off things they’ve done as they go. Not keeping so many tasks in your brain will help you stay focused on the task that you are doing. But when you are creating a schedule you need to try not to over-schedule yourself, it is enough to just have a general idea of how your workday is going to flow so you can stay on the task. Because we are all so different it can be quite hard to find a perfect way to organise your workday, things that work for your friend might be a disaster for you. Try a few ways and find out which works for you the best.
Make Time for Friends and Family
Even though working from home means that there are fewer distractions it can take an emotional toll on you because of not having contact with people. It may not be possible to see in person your friends and family during this scary time but you can still FaceTime them or call to talk about your day. You can schedule an online coffee date with your friend during your break in order to try and maintain human interaction during the outbreak of the COVID-19. Because if you are emotionally not doing well you won’t be able to focus on your work.
Take a Workout Break
Planning a workout break during your workday is a great thing to keep you focused and motivated but you have to plan it right. Your physical health is at risk when you are working from home because everything is close to you and you don’t have to commute to work or go out for a walk to get lunch. Because of the current situation, we aren’t able to go to the gym. You can do quick 15 minute online workouts during your break. That way you will get your blood pumping and all the access energy so you will be able to focus better.
End Your Day with a Routine
Having a routine is really important when you are working from home, but you shouldn’t only have a morning routine you should also have one for closing your workday. Try to wind down instead of just finishing your tasks and leaving the space. It can be anything from tidying up the desk and shutting down your computer and tucking your chair in. Do something that will mark the end of your working hours.
It has been proven that people who work from home are more focused and productive. But if you don’t have routines and the things that you need, working from home can feel frustrating and isolating which is not good for being focused and productive.
