5 Tips To Work From Home Effectively
5 TIPS TO WORK FROM HOME EFFECTIVELY:
If you’re working from home you might have been experiencing an unbalance from work life and personal life. Over the past five months, I've learned some valuable lessons and strategies to manage this balance effectively. I'm eager to share these insights with you, hoping they might assist you in your own work-from-home journey:
- Create an ideal desk setup with good lighting
If your job requires frequent video conferencing, it's a clear-cut decision to invest in good lighting.
Not only does it enhance your professional appearance during calls, but it also saves you valuable time. With one-touch lighting, the hassle of adjusting windows, moving desks or rearranging your workspace before each call is eliminated. Simply turn on the light and you're prepared to go.
Presenting yourself professionally on camera can elevate your confidence, subsequently improving your performance.
This is not my setup. But a good example of great lighting.
Everyone is unique. Some people work well with a neat desk, while others do well with a bit of mess.
Some need a plain space, others need a lively one. Some need quiet, others need music. You need to find out what suits you best.
The key is to be comfortable. This could mean having a desk that can be adjusted, good posture, and taking breaks to stretch.
Or it could mean sitting on the couch with your laptop (How my gf works) There's no one right way.
- Remove Distractions
Phone Lock Box
In a traditional office setting, the presence of bosses and colleagues often ensures that you stay focused on your work.
However, when you're working from home alone, the lack of immediate accountability, the absence of someone monitoring your activities, and the easy access to distractions like social media can lead to a significant decrease in productivity.
Additional Tips:
- Use a Pomodoro timer
- Keep your phone in the other room
- Use this app “offscreen” to stop yourself from using social apps during work hours
Don’t go overboard with Coffee
When it comes to changing your mental state, coffee can be the ultimate tool for boosting productivity while working from home, but only if used correctly. Many people drink coffee daily, become immune to its effects, and lose the energy boost.
Avoid this! Instead of having coffee just because it's a morning routine, start using it strategically. Don't waste the energy surge on routine tasks like checking emails or administrative work. Instead, use it for important tasks that need extra focus and creativity, like writing important documents, giving presentations, or making client calls.
Also, try to keep your weekends free of caffeine to reset your tolerance. By doing this, you'll notice a significant difference in the effectiveness of the productivity boost from coffee. You can use this useful caffeine calculator to plan your energy boosts.
- Social Accountability
Have you ever observed how your performance at the gym improves - you move quicker, exercise more intensely, and take fewer breaks - when you know others are watching?
This phenomenon isn't limited to physical exercise; it applies to your work productivity as well, especially when working from home.
This could be as straightforward as informing others about your deadlines and requesting them to follow up with you.
For instance, you could ask your partner to keep an eye on your work habits. Alternatively, you could hire a virtual assistant from the Philippines to monitor your work progress.
The mere thought of not wanting to appear unproductive or embarrassed during your interactions with them could motivate you to work more diligently.
In essence, by adding a layer of social accountability, you can create a virtual 'gym-like' environment at home that pushes you to perform better and be more productive.
- Ideas come when you are in motion
Have you ever noticed how ideas often come to you when you're engaged in mundane activities or simply moving around? It could be while you're driving your car, doing laundry, or even watching HBO. When such moments of inspiration strike, it's crucial to seize them immediately. (Keep a notepad with you at all times)
One of the advantages of working from home is the flexibility it offers. If you find yourself struggling with a project at noon, don't push against the tide.
Take a break instead.
I usually hit the gym around 3 pm as I know my mind is exhausted late afternoon. (I find this a luxury to be able to do)
If you aim to complete your work by 5 pm today, simply schedule an physical activity for 5:30 pm.
- Hike
- Go out with friends
- Hot Yoga
- Driving Range
- Watch your fav show
- Go for a drive
- Go for Dinner
- Go for a Swim