My Top Tips For Staying Productive While Working From Home

Right now, more people are working from home than ever before. Usually, we would be working away at our desks in the office, but now instead we find ourselves trying to find the motivation to complete our work while sitting on the sofa or at the kitchen table. This can often be a difficult task, especially if you're someone that is easily distracted or struggles to get motivated to work when you're not in your usual work environment. 

The expectations of what you're supposed to be doing are the same, but the environment you're working from is definitely not, and it's not always a simple transition. 

The key to working from home successfully is to turn the space that you have available into a working area so that you're able to focus on the task at hand. I work from home but have a whole room that is my dedicated office, and I try to refrain from using it for relaxation purposes, that way I always tend to associate it with a working environment. 

These are some of the other tips that I have found useful when working from home:

Selecting the right space for you

As mentioned above, I have an office room at home, but that might not be ideal for everyone. Other people prefer different environments - make sure that no matter where you are the distractions are to a minimum. If working from the sofa with a laptop works for you then great. But remember, where you work doesn't always have to be the same location. I do most of my hard fully focused work during the morning in my office, but during the afternoon, I will often migrate to the sofa to finish the more manageable tasks. Chloe likes to sit outside in the garden with her laptop. This is what works for us; you have to find what works for you. 

Decluttering

No matter where you are in the house trying to focus on your work, if there are things that you need to correct in your immediate field of view, you will not be able to focus properly. Always try to ensure that wherever you are working, there is nothing to cause any easy distractions. This means decluttering and keeping your workspace clean and tidy. For example, that little pile of ironing is done and put away. 

Preparing for the day

It's a common misconception that working from home means that you'll lounge around in your pyjamas all day with the tv on in the background. This is neither an accurate or reasonable option. Just like in a normal working situation, you should set yourself up for success in the day. Get prepared as if you were going to the office, even set a sort of morning routine to help get you in the mindset of doing a good day's work. This means getting ready as if you were heading to the office (i.e. getting dressed and washed) and you can even "commute" by taking a walk right before you start work and again immediately after. Although this is not something I've tried myself, I can see how it could help get your mind ready for work mode. A morning routine will help to keep you focused and start the day off right as they say. 

Starting off in a good position

Finding it easy to work from your sofa or from another position that is typically much more comfortable than your desk is definitely a gift. But it also has its downsides. The lack of a functional workspace can make it challenging to have paperwork and other physical tools that are needed to work efficiently. Try to ensure that even if it's just a coffee table, you have something close by you to be able to keep all of your supplies needs on. Don't forget you can also stand your coffee on here to keep you going through the day!

Also, try using a c-table to prop your laptop at eye level. This will significantly help with your posture and reduce the strain on your neck. 

Natural vs artificial light

Having natural light in your workspace is a good thing. It helps to keep people feeling fresh and happy, but it can also cause a glare on computer screens, making it difficult to see them. Try to avoid this where possible and replace it with artificial light when you're working. Table lamps and floor lamps work really well as a concentrated light source for targeted task lighting. This will also help you if you're someone that is easily distracted as a closed blind is a lot less fun to look at. 

Home/office ambience

One of the significant perks when working from home is that you can make your space entirely your own, something that can be difficult when working in a traditional office environment. It should all be about creating that perfect space for you. Make it cosy and full of inspiration. Things like fresh flowers and candles will help to provide a calming environment and help you focus on the matter at hand. 

Setting your schedule

Planning your daily schedule is something that you need to do whether you work from home regularly or not. Try to establish your start time, midday break and end time and stick to it as best as possible. This will help to keep you on track and also keep your tasks as organized as possible. We like to use an app called todoist to keep all of our tasks in one place and know exactly what we have to do. 

Break up the day

While being able to complete your tasks from the comfort of your sofa is great, it would help if you also tried to take regular set breaks where possible. Leave the house and take a walk, if possible, go to a coffee shop and continue your work there for an hour. A change of environment will help with inspiration and keep the new ideas flowing. Also sometimes a change of scenery is exactly what you need. 

If you work with other people that also work from home, you could invite them over for an informal work meeting. It will help to bring you closer to that in-office experience and often will help you both with your productivity. 

Logging off 

Creating boundaries when working from home is one of the most critical factors. Log off for the day and not just in the sense of from your computer. Consider trying to develop a habit to signal to yourself that work has finished and you now no longer need to focus on it until the next day. This can be anything from a silly phrase or larger action like making that final cup of tea. If you do have a last-minute idea, write it down, come back to it the next day. Just because you can work 24 hours a day, it definitely doesn't mean that you should. Allow yourself to have that downtime and create a healthy work/ life balance.