Posted by If you have been working from home in recent months, you know that there can be a lot of challenges involved. Not only are you no longer in your familiar professional working environment, but you also have to adapt the space that you usually associate with home comforts, relaxation, and family time, to make your home your new office.
There are advantages to working from home, of course. Maybe you can have more of a lie-in, now that you don’t have to commute any more, or maybe you enjoy spending your lunch break with loved ones and wearing more comfortable clothes every day. There can be a lot of benefits to working from home if you can make it work for you.
To help your working-from-home life go smoothly, the small business finance capital experts at Headway Capital have put together a handy infographic of advice about how to stay productive while home-working.
1. Plan your work schedule – Make more efficient use of your time by figuring out what times of day you prefer to do different types of activity. Keep a ‘productivity journal’ or when you have energy, focus, motivation, etc.
2. Close the door – Make sure you set clear boundaries about your workspace to other people around the house. It can be tempting to get involved in conversations about domestic issues, but you also need a designated space and time to focus.
3. Find your niche – The ideal scenario is to have a room of your own, but if that’s not possible, try to designate a specific spot for your ‘workspace,’ so work doesn’t leak into your relaxation space, and vice versa. Try to bag a window for some healthy natural daylight, too.
4. Keep it green – Since you’ll be in the same building most of the day, try to bring some nature into your working environment. Plants provide a calming and relaxing presence and have a health air-filtration effect, too. Choose a variety that’s not too demanding, unless you want to switch to a horticultural career.
5. Stay online – Poor internet connection can disrupt your workflow, so you want to find an internet provider that offers a decent bandwidth for your working needs. If your office space is far from the router, you might also need a wireless repeater to help the wifi reach you.
6. Avoid digital distractions – Even efficient use of screen time can be tiring, but realising that you’ve just wasted an hour in a social media vortex can be very frustrating. Keep temptation at bay during ‘office hours’ by using apps that block messages and notifications during designated times.
7. Stay social – Don’t lose touch with your colleagues just because you aren’t physically together. You’ll feel more connected to your work, and less isolated, if you take time to check in with workmates to collaborate, discuss work processes, and catch up.
8. Get physical – Your health should be a priority at all times, especially since working from home is so sedentary. Get your body moving with an online training app or exercise video. Even a short walk or stretch every now will get the blood pumping.
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