Working from home has many wonderful benefits. From the flexibility in schedule to working in a familiar environment, it’s no wonder that working from home is becoming more common. However, one of the biggest challenges for remote workers is staying productive. Often, remote workers work from a more relaxed environment than in-office workers. This can cause difficulties when it comes to staying focused and task-oriented. However, here are a few tips on how to stay productive while working from home.
Have a specific place to work
Although remote workers don’t have to “go to the office” every day, productivity can be boosted by having a specific place set aside for work. It could be the dining room table, an at-home office, or a lawn chair in your backyard. The main thing is to have a specific place set aside where when you go there you think, “okay, it’s time to work”. Having a specific place to work can help get your mind in work mode, and therefore, make you more productive.
Set work goals for yourself
Although remote workers have expectations and requirements placed on them, there is often a lot of flexibility about when they choose to work and how much they must accomplish. You can stay productive by setting a schedule or routine for yourself and know what exactly you’re setting out to accomplish each day. Consider getting a day planner or journal to keep track of your projects. This should help you stay on course to complete each assignment as needed.
Have personal goals
Staying motivated can be difficult without a boss peering over you all day. With the flexibility of working remotely, It’s important to set goals for yourself. It’s been studied that setting goals can increase workplace productivity by up to 25%. Although your manager will inevitably set work goals, you should set personal goals as well. Consider setting little goals such as: for every 2 hours of work you accomplish, you can go enjoy the outside air for 20 minutes. Or, for every report, you complete you can eat a piece of candy. You’ll know what works best to motivate you, but find something that works and apply it. Setting personal goals is guaranteed to help you stay focused and productive while working remotely.
Limit distractions
Perhaps the greatest challenge in working remotely is dealing with distraction. Whether it is a phone call, a salesman at the door, or your kids coming home from school, distractions will inevitably attempt to pull you away from work and focus your attention on other things. One survey shows that 71% of employees say they are more productive while listening to music, and yet there are many who would argue the opposite. It is important to be honest with yourself about what distracts you and deal with it accordingly. Limiting these distractions will help you stay on task. Consider unplugging your phone or T.V. while working, or putting a sign on your door that reads “Remote worker inside. Do not ring the doorbell.” However you choose to limit distractions, doing so will help you stay productive while working from home.
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