The idea of working from home conjures up images of slacking off, lounging around, and being thankful you don’t have to rush out of the house and join the rat race. It can be a great way to get things done and still enjoy life, however, the truth is that working from home requires effort and dedication.
Remote workers tend to be more productive and effective, being empowered to take control over their schedules, with a sense of independence (from long commutes, inflexible work hours, or a boss who micro-manages).
If you have the opportunity of working from home occasionally, it can be tempting to get distracted and fall behind on work. The fastest way to get your remote work privileges taken away is to keep that up. There's nothing wrong with taking a break every now and again, but you shouldn't let that become a habit.
Whether you're working from home part-time or moving to full-time home working, the following tips should help make the transition as seamless and productive as possible.
1. Start working from home the way you mean to go on
The first step to success when working from home is to ensure you have everything you need to work efficiently. You'll need a dedicated area to work, ideally a specific room which can be used as an office, allowing you to separate work and home life.
If you don't have the luxury of a home office, then you can dedicate a portion of a room to working, by moving all personal items aside and placing your working environment there instead.
Make sure to choose a space without distractions like a television. Low traffic areas such as bedrooms or utility rooms can work well for this. Kitchens can also work for short periods, but utilising the dining table as a desk for extended periods will eventually become unworkable.
2. Put together a schedule and stick to it
Once you have all your equipment setup in your dedicated working environment, you will then want to start devising a schedule for your working day (if you have the flexibility to do so).
Many businesses nowadays have staff in different countries around the world, so it can often be an advantage working from home at different times of the day to fit in with your own schedule, and those of your colleagues.
Think about what times you are most productive and schedule relevant tasks during those periods. For example, most people find the morning hours best to focus on more intensive tasks, while the afternoon can be used for communication and other admin tasks.
3. Sticking to a morning routine is key to remote working
Creating a specific morning routine and sticking to it can also help put you in the right mindset for work. Try to wake up consistently each day and make time for exercise, breakfast, a shower and getting dressed.
Although working from home in your pyjamas might sound like an advantage , you'll find that getting ready before you start will put you in the right mindset to be productive and complete tasks more efficiently.
4. Don't forget regular breaks and leave the house each day
Remember to schedule in regular short breaks throughout the day and at least one or two longer breaks – where you can get out of the house and enjoy some fresh air and exercise. Be that a walk to the shop or local park, meeting a friend for coffee, or simply to run an errand.
You'll return refreshed and ready to focus on completing the next task, reducing the risk of burning out and losing motivation.
5. Stay on top of tasks by prioritising and marking as complete
Now you have a plan of how your working week will be structured, you'll want to ensure you have a suitable task or project management tool to help prioritise work.
There are many tools online to help with this, or your employer may already have a piece of software that you can access from home to keep up to date with projects and tasks.
Either way, it may also help psychologically to write the day's tasks down on paper, so you can cross them off once you have completed each task.
6. Reduce distractions when home working by limiting access
Avoiding the distractions of email and social media is even more important for remote workers than for office-based workers. Try keeping your phone and other potential distractions in another room and only visiting them during regular breaks throughout the day.
If you require constant access to your phone for work, then move it out of reach to prevent you from impulsively checking your phone and getting sucked in to non-work related distractions.
7. Start a routine to ‘switch off' at the end of each day
Try to stick to your schedule and once you have completed your workday, it's important to ‘switch off' from work for some R&R, spending your evenings or free time as you normally would, so you're refreshed and ready for another productive workday.
Try allocating half an hour at the end of the day to create a plan for a few key tasks to be completed the next day, so you're off to a flying start first thing in the morning.
You might also find it helpful to have a routine after you have logged off from work, so the transition from work to home is well defined. This could be anything, from a short walk outside to a coffee in another room. Over time this will be associated with the end of work and allow you to enjoy the rest of your day.
After awhile you will become accustomed to working from home – able to take advantage of the free time not having to commute each morning and night, while remaining productive and even exceeding your targets.
If you have already transitioned to home working or are in the process of doing so, please leave a comment below with any thoughts, experiences or questions that might help others in a similar situation.
