Productivity might really suffer when working from home. Planning, staying focused and setting a schedule – can all help.
Telecommuting has been a rising trend for a while. However, the COVID-19 pandemic pushed thousands of people out of the office and back into their homes.
Regardless if you have been working from home for years, or started to recently – you’re still expected to accomplish your tasks well and on time.
Productivity matters, but it can be hard to focus when you live and work in the same space. After all, working from your bedroom might cause loads of distractions.
Iholytech too was affected by the current COVID-19 pandemic as all of our employees are currently working remotely. This decision was made – quite literally – overnight, to ensure the safety of our people.
With effective communication, extra care for our employees and the right tools, we’ve successfully managed to change all our operations and start remote work.
Everyone has been sharing their best tips and tips (along with puppy pictures to keep the spirits up) to ensure not only the highest productivity but happiness levels as well.
Sharing is caring, so we want to share some of our top tips to help you make the best put of remote work.
1. Plan, Plan, and Plan Some More
Plan your work as if you’re running the Japanese train network – famous for always being on time.
Various methods and techniques exist for planning your tasks. It’s up to you to find the one that motivates you to work most efficiently.
One of the most popular ones we use timeboxing. It’s a simple technique to plan your days and weeks.
In a planner, allocate time intervals to a specific activity or task. Whether it’s an issue, a break or two hours to watch the kids while your partner works – timeboxing will definitely boost productivity.
Don’t want to use paper planners? Various software can help – think Monday.com, Google Sheets or good old Google Docs.
2. Focus is Important
Does scheduling time for Slack sound ridiculous?
Well, if you realize just how long it takes for you to regain focus after you spend 10 minutes chatting on Slack or nipping into the kitchen, it won’t seem so ridiculous anymore.
Get into the habit of scheduling everything – not only to hit deadlines but to maintain focus as well.
Sure, it’s important to catch up with colleagues and share some gifs, but the majority of your day should be spent focusing on work tasks.
If you struggle with losing yourself in non-essential activities, time tracking can help.
There are loads of time tracking tools available online, so test a few and pick the one you like the most.
A few recommended picks: Clockify, Toggl, and Rescue Time.
3. Keep Your Mind Sharp
Trust us on this one. Spending time to learn something new can be a huge boost to your productivity.
Not only does learning a new skill improve your brain function, but it also ensures that you stay competitive in the job market.
Every employer should recognize this and it’s no secret that here at Iholytech, one of our main values is Learn and Be Curious.
Perhaps you want to improve your WordPress skills or build an email list to help boost your business? Use the time you save by not having to commute to do just that.
But it doesn’t have to be all business, all the time.
Always wanted to build a website for your quilting or showing off your home decor? Now’s the time.
Or, start a blog to share your passions with the world and to connect with other like-minded people.
The opportunities to learn new skills are literally endless.
4. ‘Go to Work’
Remote work is still work – and it should be treated as such. Don’t take it as an opportunity to sleep in.
Sure, it’s tempting to put the TV on and lounge around or take a two-hour lunch, followed by a nap. Especially if others in your home are doing it too.
But don’t be fooled.
While it might feel nice to have a ‘work-from-home holiday’ at first, it will kill your productivity and damage your motivation too.
You obviously want to do your job well, since you were looking for an article on how to work from home effectively.
So, make sure you get up at a set time and get ready for work as if you’re going into the office.
5. Tools of the Trade
Working remotely might seem easy: find a chair, open up your laptop and work away.
Yet, the reality is that you might need more tools to do your job effectively.
Actually, make them industrial-strength.
Drowning out the noise of kids, pets and other miscellaneous household sounds is essential if you want to focus and follow the schedule that you’ve planned out.
And last, but not least, it’d be great to have a space dedicated to work only. Ideally, this will be different than the space you spend most of your time in.
Get creative. A glammed up garden shed, an attic or a separate room that you could (temporarily) convert to an office can all be good spaces.
Do whatever you need to do to create an isolated space where you can focus on work. No distractions.
6. Act Normal
This is, perhaps, one of the most important tips we can give you.
Those of us who are forced to work from home due to highly unusual circumstances (hi, COVID-19) might struggle with productivity.
We say – do your best to ‘act normal.’
If you are overcome with fear or anxiety, it is very easy to lose focus and become less productive.
So, for the sake of your mental health, do your best to keep all of your regular activities going on. This will keep your mind off things that you cannot possibly change.
So, think about what you normally get up to with your colleagues at the office and adapt it to working from home.
And don’t forget to post pet pictures, funny memes, gifs, and emojis. These help substitute for some of the micro-interactions that you’d have at work and keep you sane.