When working from home it can be hard to stay productive throughout your day. It’s easy to get distracted when you are away from the office. No one is there to tell you what you are supposed to be doing, when to take your breaks, and how to handle the distractions around you. This purpose of this blog post is to outline some general guidelines to help you stay more productive while working from home.
Get Out of Bed and Dress for the Day
It’s fun to think about spending your work day in your pajamas. But when it comes down to it, actually changing into real clothes helps set your mind into work mode. You should also be camera ready just in case you get that surprise zoom call from a team member or customer.
Getting up at the same time every day sets you up for success. While you are at it, get dressed and eat a healthy breakfast to fuel your day. Setting up healthy habits when working from home leads to healthier more productive work times over all. And don’t forget to stay hydrated. Keep a water bottle handy to sip on throughout the day.
Set Yourself Apart While Working From Home
It doesn’t matter where you set up to be your work place, as long as it isn’t from your bed. A separate office space is ideal, but a spot at the kitchen table or even a card board box will do as long as it is designated for work space only. Sitting on the couch watching tv with your laptop is just not productive. There are to many distractions along the way. Setting up a dedicated workspace is essential to increase your productivity and prepare your mind for work. Your space needs to be clutter and distraction free for maximum productivity. And when you take your breaks make sure to step “out of the office” for your mental and physical health. Take a walk, walk your dog, or do a load of laundry. Just so you are giving yourself a mental break from your work for a short period of time.
Plan Out Your Day
When you are working from home you are the one who is responsible for your schedule. Therefore you need to plan accordingly. Creating a written or virtual schedule helps you stay on track. Work on one scheduled task at a time for maximum results. For example. Creating a content calendar for a months posts on social media saves you time and effort. Try to stick to your schedule as closely as you can while understanding that because you are working from home things are going to come up. Flexibility is key here, plan on rolling with the punches throughout the day.
Eat Normally
Keep healthy snacks withing easy reach. Try to separate your work space from where you eat your meals. You need the mental break from your computer, a time out from the screen. It can be tempting to eat in front of your computer, but it is not healthy. It’s too easy to binge eat if you don’t take the time to plan out your meals. Make sure you are taking care of yourself. When you are working from home it is tempting to overwork and not take your breaks. Likewise it can also be easy to blow off a few of the tasks on your to do list. Balance is the key here.
Stay Positive
Your mindset is king here. Working from home can be isolating, so make sure you connect with others on a regular basis. Being able to keep your sense of humor is important here. The cat is going to lay on your keyboard and the dog is likely to “eat your homework” so to speak. You need to be your own cheer leader , so give yourself a break when things go wrong.
Set Realistic Goals
Take some time to think about what you want to accomplish. What is your “why”? Why is it important to to you to be working from home? Is it time and financial freedom? Be specific. Setting SMART goals can help you achieve your dreams. SMART goals are specific, measurable, relevant and time driven. Really dive into this and then break it down into weekly and daily activities that will help you accomplish your goals.
Revisit your goals at the end of the month. What 2 things did you get accomplished, and what 1 thing didn’t get done? When you break down your daily activities what worked, and what didn’t. What could you do different? Understanding how to evaluate and change your goals can put you on the path to success.
Working from home is not always easy. But if you can master the above steps your journey will be much more successful. Productivity is the key, the more productive you are, the more success you will achieve. Above all enjoy the journey along the way. And if you are looking for a work from home opportunity, then check out this link. You will have access to all of the training you need for success. Check it out.