The incidence of COVID-19 has forced many to find the home as an office space, we all became remote workers by chance. While many have found immense pleasure in this new normal, the transition has not been the same for the majority of people out there.
Working from home for the second category is a productivity litmus test that returns the negative result at many turns. It is easy to find the motivation to work when your paycheck is solely dependent on your output. However, what happens when you are working for yourself? The stakes are not the same, and this is where productivity counts the most.
You will require more than willpower and determination to cross this hurdle, they are proven tips that will help you stay at your best and win the day, when you work from home. This article will expose these tips and help you through this transition, this not a statement, it is fact you will find out below:
8 productivity hacks for working from home
Get dressed for work:
This may sound funny, however, this is one of the best things you can do for yourself and here is why; getting dressed for work gets you prepared for the hustle and bustle of the day. Your mind is automatically shifted from the immediate home surrounding, you have an automatic transmission that happens with a simple dress code.
It is harder to work when you are still in your pajamas or doing the work in bed, your mind is still in the rest zone. Getting dressed can get you started and this is the way to go.
Set your limits and work it out
Now that you are out of your bed, what is the next thing to do? You will have to block off your distractions to maintain your focus and get going. A great way to do this will be to set your limits, you cannot work all day long, you will only break down if you choose to go this path.
Choose your hours and work the hours, will an 8-hour work map do the magic? If this is the case, you will need to set your boundaries and give your all, you will get to your zenith when you follow this rule. Get some breaks in-between, the goal is to stay productive and breaks will do it for you.
Turn off your notifications
There is a simple logic we throw at ourselves and others, we call it multi-tasking. This way we pretend to be okay working on several things at the same time, accommodating the messages from social media, and doing our jobs are also part of the logic of multi-tasking.
There is nothing as beautiful as committing yourself to a goal and seeing it through, this is the whole Cruz of the book; “the one thing” by Gary Keller. One can easily spot a great work, from one hurriedly put together. Turn off your notifications and commit yourself to work, this is the price you pay for great work.
Find your workspace
Designate a part and space for work and the mind will automatically program itself to work in that environment, this is why it is important that you have a workspace. Your mind is already conditioned to see the home as your rest zone and to make this transition work best for you, you will need working space.
Everywhere cannot be your working space, the bed especially. It is easy to sleep off on the bed, it is hard to do this on your desk. Get a desk and create a workspace at home, a perfect place you wake up to, every day. Do this for a few days and your mind will automatically shift to work anytime you are in this space.
Keep a schedule & automate your work:
This is not about having your days regimented, it is about enforcing discipline in your workspace and on yourself. Nothing great is ever achieved without discipline, so keep a schedule. Keeping a schedule will also help you to stay productive, this way you know what is to be done when it is needed and you can easily get it done.
Staying productive will need more than willpower as I have earlier stated, and a well-planned schedule is one of the few extras you will need to win your day and take charge of your work.
Stay flexible
You don’t have to look too serious to be successful, Mark Zuckerberg is seen wearing a smile all the time and except on rare occasions, he rarely wears a suit. You will need a lot of flexibility in your working space, regular breaks in-between work to recharge your batteries will leave you staying longer on the task with a head that is committed to the job at hand.
If your schedule is all work and no breaks, then you will have a hard time at work. A 15-minutes break after every 2-hours of work can be the extra energy you require to meet your task. So stay flexible!
Set deadlines & be rigid about them
There is a thing about deadlines, it activates a sense of urgency in the head. This is important to keep you on your toes and get you working even when quitting looks like the thing to do. So set deadlines and keep them, be rigid about them.
Stay positive
Don’t overbeat yourself, don’t be too hard on yourself. Be positive, this is the altitude you will need to turn the stormy days into joyful moments. Be positive!
Conclusion
Which one of the eight hacks will you want to try out immediately, to better your work from home productivity? While the huge mental shift required to successfully transition from working at the office to home can be a challenge at times, having the right tips will always aid your smooth transition and get you going at what you do. So get this together, and win even from the home front.