Technology and change in work cultures have made working from home as a norm, for many professionals now. Remote work can be incredibly flexible and convenient, but with home-bound productivity being hard due to the lack of office desk structure. Distracted easily by the house, family and all that social media has to offer that wont let you focus on the chores without office structure.
Indeed, it is possible to work from home and not get lazy! Here in this article we will discuss about some timeless ways or tricks to stay productive and focus(5 min )so that you utilize your working hours efficiently.
1. Set a Dedicated Workspace
Step1-SLaying the foundation of remaining productive while working from home is have a separate area as a workspace. This is not necessarily a home office but it can be a area in your home or even a room where you effectively segment this room for work related tasks. You have to make the distinction of your personal and professional life, even though it is in a confined space.
Having an actual workspace will mentally set you up for the day and tell your body to get ready to work. Remember, your workspace should be comfortable and have no distractions. This means uncluttering your space and insuring that everything from a comfortable chair to proper lighting, you need for work is present at your desk.
2. Create a Routine and Stick to It
It is very easy to be inconsistent when working remotely. Without any structure, you might end working through the night or end up being unproductive all day. Every day, it is so important to establish a routine if you want to keep productive.
Establish a set start and stop time for your work day to respect. This keeps you on top of things, and gives you daily consistency to do good work. Breaks throughout the day, you can also add those in. For example, every hour take 10 mins break to wind down, stretch or have a snack. So this will prevent you from burning out and fresh for the day.
3. Use the Pomodoro Technique
One of most used time management method is Pomodoro Technique and it will assist you for productive focused. It is a method of concentrating for short periods, usually 25 minutes, then taking a short break. You then take a longer break of 15–30 minutes after four Pomodoros.
At it’s core, the Pomodoro Technique is the idea that working in a series of short focused sessions adds to concentration and prevents mental fatigue. Most notably, if the giant task tends to distract or confuse you enough that it keeps you from focusing. A number of apps and timers are there to help you in following this method making it more easier.
4. Minimize Distractions
Distractions are unavoidable when working from home — whether it be the laundry, a family member trying to call for help and the radio in the background but most often their phone. Cutting down on these distractions is the main reason of you being productive.
Stay Productive by Setting Expectations With Others around You. If you have kids or roommates, tell them what time you will be working and need quiet/privacy. Turn on Do Not Disturb on your phone or computer to bequiet during work hours as well, the same thing can be achieved with tools. You could also leverage tools like Freedom or StayFocusd which block distracting websites and/or apps during the time you work.
5. Stay Organized with Digital Tools
Working from home and staying productive is made easier by using digital tools for organization. Apps such as Trello, Asana or Todoist to help you manage your tasks and deadlines. The apps provide you with the ability to organize tasks, set alerts and even map progress you have done.
Also you have project management platforms as Slack or Microsoft Teams to communicate with your colleagues. They help you to remain current and monitor the status of the team projects for more collaboration and keep you updated with deadlines.
6. Take Care of Yourself
True productivity is not just work but taking care of our physical & mental health. Steam some veggies, take care of your body through exercise, nutrition and get enough sleep in routine. These are habits that will significantly affect your productivity and focus.
Even if you are work from home, take walk or at least some light stretching. That way you will feel more alert and be able to focus better on what you do. Take time for your mental health too so when you need to switch off and de-stress.
Conclusion
You don't need to struggle when it comes to working from home and keeping productive. With a designated workspace, maintaining a routine, time management approaches, reducing disturbance, digital organization and self-care you can keep your productivity levels up and continue working on your goals.As they say, consistency and discipline are key. It is actually very easy to turn your home into a productive work space with a few small tweaks to your routine.
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