I have to be truthful to you, after leaving my office 3 years back, every morning when I wake up, I really am happy just to think about the fact that I do not have to rush to an office to work but can finish off my projects from the comfort of my home. But, working from home sometimes gets me to feel lazy and distracted which makes me less productive.
Having a few years of experience of working from home, I have come up with a few of my productivity hacks which will help you get more work done than ever.
1. Wear Office Attire:
Casual wear always makes me feel as if I am at home and I keep getting distracted. This may sound really weird but dressing up in office attire and wearing shoes will make your mind believe that you are really at a workspace. This means you will get more task done.
2. Put Makeup On:
This may sound like a crazy hack but it works for me the best. To be more active and productive, I need to feel like I am ready to go to an office space which means wearing my makeup helps me feel good about myself and also I feel like I am in a work zone and I can concentrate better.
3. Keep Your Workspace Clutter-Free:
You must be working from home but that does not mean you need to work in a messy environment. Clutter actually decreases your productivity and does not help you get into the mood of work. I understand it is your home and giving it an office feel may be too extreme hence select a room or a corner of your home which can be converted to your office space. Keep it clutter-free and organized. This will help you do your work more efficiently.
4. Stay Away from Distractions:
The drawback of working from home is that the distractions are higher. There may be people knocking at your door, the sound of your neighbors or their pets that may distract you from your work. You can display a Do-Not-Disturb board outside your door while you are working then no one will knock unless it is too urgent.
5. Work in Inspiring Spaces:
The biggest benefit of working from home is that I can work from any place which inspires me. Sometimes I tend to visit a nearby coffee shop and work from there, other times I just like to sit in my garden peacefully and work. Most offices try bringing nature inside their building but you have the privilege of working in nature. Working in your garden will help you collect your thoughts while breathing fresh air. Just make sure that your garden is fenced by experts such as critterfence.com/garden-fence so that you are away from distractions and critters. You will find a lot of inspiration when you work in such spaces.
6. Use a Whiteboard:
I have tried making my do-to list via the Sticky Notes app available on my laptop but frankly, I hardly notice that. Stick to the old way of using a real sticky note or a whiteboard to make a to-do list for your activities to be done.
7. Take Timely Breaks:
Sometimes working from home may make you gain weight and feel lazy because you keep binge eating. Maintain snacks and meals times just like you do in your office. Prepare all your meals before you start your work to avoid unwanted eating in between.
Work from home can be both productive or unproductive depending on the choices you make hence stick to the above pointers and you will do just fine.