These are uncertain times, and now more people are working remotely than ever before.
There are plenty of working from home tips out there right now, but efficient remote work truly takes a different approach and skill set. It requires more discipline and attention than an in-office job would.
A lot of people find it hard to concentrate and get tasks done in a timely manner, but don’t stress, here are some work from home tips and tricks, tested by the Live in Boldness fam.
Five Work from Home Tips and Tricks:
1. Set Your Environment and Yourself up for Success
Set up your “workspace”. Whether you have an actual desk or not, find a spot where you are comfortable, but not too comfortable (like your bed or couch) and designate it to work in.
It is best to work in the same place every day. We are creatures of habit, so it is hard for us to concentrate on tasks in the same place we do something else, like sleep.
Get dressed; this can be not be stressed enough. Pretend you are going into the office, and change, brush your hair, etc. You will be amazed at the difference it will make in motivation.
You don’t have to put full-on business clothes and a full face of makeup (unless you want to, do you!), but at least change out of your PJs and wash your face.
Follow your typical morning routine of tea or coffee, turn on enough light, and get going!
2. Take Care of Your Needs
Set a routine that works for you. Do you work better first thing in the morning or early afternoon? If your schedule (or boss) allows you, do your most important work at that time of the day. Most people have a time of day that they are most productive, so find your internal clock.
Be sure to plan breaks and maintain healthy habits. Go outside for a bit, stay hydrated, stretch in-between calls, and eat meals and snacks that give you energy and won’t make you groggy or sluggish.
3. Time Management
Managing your time is truly the trick to working at home efficiently.
Pretend you are in the office from a certain time every day and stick to it. Take an hour’s lunch break like you normally would. Be sure your roommate, significant other, or family you live with are aware of your schedule, so you can work in peace.
Minimize distractions by turning your phone on do not disturb and making sure the background noise does not bother you. Some people prefer to work with music on, which is fine, but the TV does not count.
Try working for 20-30 minute increments and then taking a break. Studies show this method can be more productive.
4. Be Accountable
Connect your work calendar to your phone! Schedule events with reminders for meetings and reminders for deadlines so you never miss anything or wonder what you should be working on.
At the beginning of each week, make a weekly plan for daily tasks and divide them evenly. This way, you are not cramming on a certain day and slacking off on others. It is easy to do with a planner or even a whiteboard.
5. Stay Connected
You are not the only one working from home! Engage and connect with your coworkers! Create a slack channel strictly for memes or do a zoom happy hour or one-on-one with a co-worker and discuss things outside of work.
Having others to talk to can help keep you motivated throughout the week and keep you from burning out.
How Can I Work at Home Effectively and Efficiently?
Ultimately, you will get out what you put into it. If you choose to work on the factors in your control, like your routine and taking care of yourself, you will likely see your overall productivity increase. Maybe even more than when you were in the office!
However, some things will still be out of your control. These are unpredictable times, so be sure to ask for help when you need it.
Interact with coworkers and reach out to your supervisors. Little things can make all the difference when working remotely.
Leave a Reply