Work From Home has its perks, but it can be difficult to stay productive when you’re surrounded by distractions and your boss isn’t keeping tabs on you. The answer lies in self-discipline and prioritization; when you set your mind to getting things done and making the most of your time, you have the potential to make more money in less time, which is the primary benefit of working from home. Here are seven tips for maintaining efficiency while working from home that will help you get the most out of your workday.
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Don’t Be Afraid To Take Breaks
Even though working from home means you can work as hard and as often as you like, you probably won’t be at your peak efficiency if you don’t get some time to relax every so often. Taking a short break every couple of hours will give your brain a chance to rest, reflect on what you’ve done and plan out your next moves. It will also give your body a bit of much-needed downtime that should improve energy levels during working hours. If it seems easier to take all day off each week or once every two weeks, that might be preferable for mental health and self-discipline reasons. The best approach is to keep an eye on motivation levels and experiment with what works best.
Take Advantage Of Coffee Breaks
One of the most obvious opportunities to become more efficient is taking advantage of coffee breaks. If you work from home, you probably work a lot, which means a lot of time is spent away from your computer. Take every opportunity to get up and move around, even if it’s just to go refill your cup of coffee. Even just five minutes away from your desk can give you some much-needed mental break. Getting up and moving also allows you to step outside for fresh air or chat with co-workers (if they are in the same office).
It’s easy to forget that working at home doesn’t mean that you have no co-workers or social life don’t let yourself fall into that trap. Take Advantage Of Lunch Breaks: Another great way to find efficiency in working from home is by taking advantage of lunch breaks. Just like with coffee breaks, getting out of your chair for a few minutes will help prevent physical discomfort caused by sitting for long periods. More importantly, lunch provides an opportunity for relaxation and rejuvenation during what could be a very stressful day.
Get Exercise In
When you’re working from home, it can be hard to break away from work and get your body moving. It’s crucial, though, that you take time for exercise even if it’s just a few minutes in your office or a quick walk around your neighborhood. This will ensure that you’re refreshed when sitting at your desk and feeling lethargic will make you less likely to get things done. Staying active also ensures that you aren’t piling on too many hours at work and reducing your productivity, which could lead to burnout. Try adding some movement into every day of your life and see how much more efficient (and healthy) you feel as a result.
Be Consistent
Being consistent with your working environment is key. You’re at home, so you might be tempted to wear your pajamas, unplug all of your electronics, and eat ice cream for breakfast. But since you aren’t going into an office every day (and don’t get any time off), you must maintain some semblance of a work environment. Even if you work at night or early in the morning, try to make sure that you’re wearing professional clothing and are in an area where it doesn’t look like you’ve spent all day watching TV. In addition, don’t leave things out or around where they can distract from productivity – keep counters clear and furniture tucked away so that there’s less to move through when focusing on tasks.
Prioritize Your Tasks
Whenever you’re working remotely, be sure to prioritize your tasks. It’s important to remember that you don’t have a boss looking over your shoulder, so it can be easy to get distracted. But as long as you take time at least once every hour or two to review and update your priorities whether by emailing a list of what needs to be done and when or writing it down on a sheet of paper you should be able to avoid letting things slip through the cracks. Allocate Your Time Wisely: A lot of WFH professionals end up allocating very specific blocks of time for working out, exercising, and generally taking care of their health outside of work hours.
Stay Organized
The simplest way to make sure you’re maximizing efficiency while working from home is to stay organized. Make sure that your schedule and daily tasks are laid out, so that when you sit down to work there won’t be any questions about what you should be doing. With a schedule in place, it’s easier to see what needs to get done and figure out how long each task will take. It also helps if your desk has everything within easy reach so that even minor distractions can be avoided as much as possible.
Say No To Additional Projects
The obvious drawback of working from home is that there’s nobody to tell you when to go home. As a self-employed individual, you are essentially your boss meaning that if you don’t set boundaries for yourself and say no when necessary, it’s easy to fall into an unhealthy cycle of being constantly on call. Instead, schedule and honor appropriate time-off times for yourself; then stick to them like glue.