Working from home can be fantastic, and at the same time, very bothersome. Motivating yourself to work at home can be very distracting, especially when you have other commitments like children and pets there. Similarly, you may be constantly battling against slow home wifi, although you can search “check my internet speed” if you’re unsure what the issue is. Still, notwithstanding these distractions, this page will seek to tell you how you can stay productive while doing your work from home.
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us have been forced to work from home, and for the foreseeable future, it appears that is the way things are going to be. As it appears working from home is part of the so-called ‘new normal’, we must get used to it.
Here is how you can stay productive while doing your work from home:
Stay Comfortable
Being comfortable means being productive. It’s easy to get distracted at home, and if you are uncomfortable, you may end up settling down in your favourite lounge chair with your laptop under the guise of doing work, but likely will end up flicking through video platforms and playing games. Buying a new office chair on a budget is a solution to this. There are many office supply stores, more so now in the wake of the pandemic, that are selling comfortable and economic office chairs at reduced prices.
As with when you buy new football boots, you want to play football more, an office chair will make you want to work harder! Comfort and productivity go hand in hand. It is human nature to stray from something that makes us uncomfortable. An office chair should be sturdy and firm and provide your back with support.
Keep it Professional
Working from home for many of us often means being perched on a stool and working off of a dinner table. As was mentioned in the previous paragraph, you need a proper chair, and a proper chair requires a proper desk. Having a desk at home can make you much more productive and is conducive to a better working environment.
It will feel more like an office. Having a desk is essential, and you can find desks for a very low cost, and likely when you buy your chair online, you will be offered a desk as part of a package. A desk will ensure your paperwork is ordered properly and not haphazardly strewn around, and will ensure that everything has its place, rather than there being pure chaos on the dinner table.
Do Not Disturb
Working from home likely means being distracted. In order to finish your work carefully and in a time-friendly manner, you mustn’t become distracted, which may mean a do not disturb sign.
Our family, friends, and pets assume that because we are home, it means we have idle time to beguile, which of course, we don’t. You must ensure that everybody in your home knows you are not available until the work is finished, and often the best way to do this is a do not disturb sign.
Eat a Packed Lunch
Working from home should not mean that you gorge out in your kitchen every twenty minutes. Making yourself a packed lunch in the morning and retreating into the depths of your study is far better and will ensure that you do not become distracted or unnecessarily hungry.
A packed lunch will also serve to further create an air of professionalism and will stop you from becoming distracted by the temptations of staying at home. Try to avoid having to even leave your office until the day is done.
Stay Cool
This summer is predicted to be the hottest in generations, which means you could be working in a veritable hotbox. For a better quality of work, and better productivity, stay cool. Set up a dehumidifier in your office and bring a fan into the room, and of course, open a window if you can.
Studies have proven that office workers who work in hotter environments are less likely to finish their work on time and will create a lower quality of work. Staying cool is best for your health, and for your work’s quality.
Stay in Touch
Stay in touch with your employer and let them know how you are getting on with your work – staying in touch can serve to remind you that you are working, and your employers do exist. When working from home, it can be easy to forget about those whom you work for. Stay in touch.
Now you know a few ways to stay productive while working from home. It appears many of us are going to have to resign ourselves to working from home for the foreseeable future, so follow this guide for maximum productivity.