How to Stay Productive When Working From Home

More and more people are working from home. Whether getting some quiet time to get things done or working from home daily, using your time in the home office must be as productive as possible. Below are eleven stay-productive tips on how to make your space and time in your home the most effective.

Topics

Plan your day.
Determine your most productive time of the day.
Keep communication open with your coworkers and colleagues.
Minimize distractions during the day.
Find a quiet place that can be closed off from others.
Bring water and a snack to your desk.
Recognize when you are getting distracted.
Take a few breaks throughout the day.
Minimize your carbs at lunch.
Get ready in the morning like you are going to work.
Enjoy the fact that you can work from home.

Plan your day.

Look at your schedule the night before to make sure you know what you need to get done the next day. Prioritizing works best. Pick 2-3 goals to get one step closer to, then decide what needs completing. Write the steps down and go in the order during the day.

Determine your most productive time of the day.

I find that I am most productive in the early morning and after 6:00 p.m., so I structure my day so that I start at 7:30 AM—1:00 PM and then take a break until after 6:00 PM. Some days, I do not need to work in the evenings, but if there are days that I run behind or have extra work to do, I schedule it for after 6:00 PM.

Keep communication open with your coworkers and colleagues.

Since you are isolated, you will need to reach out more often than you would if you were in the office. They could stop by your cubicle. Call your colleagues (Affiliate Link) once a week to connect.

Minimize distractions during the day.

Determine what you want your kids to do when you need to put your head down for an hour or two. If you have conference calls and your furry friend loves to chime in on the conversation, place him on a different floor before you take your call.

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Find a quiet place that can be closed off from others.

This tip could be a basement office, a guest bedroom, or a corner of a room you do not use often. If possible, the office space should have a door just in case you need to close it for even more privacy.

Bring water and a snack to your desk.

If you find that you leave your desk (Affiliate Link) often, bring a snack and water to your space. A well-insulated large water bottle reduces the condensation on the desk (Affiliate Link) and will keep your water chilled for hours. Choose healthy snacks (Affiliate Link) that will satisfy your hunger but will not zap your energy. Hard boiled eggs and nuts are good choices.

Recognize when you are getting distracted.

Several texts at one time from a boss or other coworker is an example of getting distracted. If it isn’t an emergency, text them “I am in the middle of a deadline, let’s schedule a time to talk. I am available at …. to talk.” Provide them with a time and date when you can talk to them. By offering time and date to the recipient, they shouldn’t feel rejected.

Take a few breaks throughout the day.

If you find yourself spending several hours at your desk (Affiliate Link), another productive tip is to add a few breaks to your day. To get perspective and separate yourself from the screen, do some squats or jumping jacks to wake you up. Then, get some water or a snack. Moving around the office will help reconnect you to the task at hand.

Minimize your carbs at lunch.

Do you get brain fog after eating a high-carb lunch? Put aside the pasta dishes and go for the salad and meat. Also, try not to overeat. Overeating makes you feel uncomfortable when sitting, which can be a distraction. Try a salad with protein or fresh greens and leftover meat from the night before.

Get ready in the morning like you are going to work.

Another productive tip is not to change your morning routine. Even if you are not leaving the house, take a shower and get dressed. If you want to feel like you are going to work, take a walk around the block in the morning. After taking a walk, your brain will tell you that it is time to get to work. Keeping a route each morning helps you get everything done.

Enjoy the fact that you can work from home.

Above all else, enjoy the fact that you can work from home. It may seem trivial, but not everyone can do this day in and day out. Enjoy that you can sit in your home and get things done. Gratitude makes you enjoy your time in your office that much more.

These eleven tips will make you so much more productive. Try it and see. I used every one of these tips from time to time, and they worked to get me refocused and recharged for the next activity.