More and more people are facing the reality of working from home. While it probably sounded great at first, productivity levels can start to dip pretty quickly. After all, there are so many more distractions in your own home (and the fridge is really close!).
So, if you’re looking to boost your work-from-home productivity, look no further.
If you’re experienced at working from home, you probably have a home office. If this is your first time working from home, you’ll have to create a designated workspace. If you can convert a spare room into an office, that’s the best option. If not, try and pick a specific table or surface to use for work-related tasks. This way, when you sit down to work, your brain has already made the association.
You want to make sure that your workspace is comfortable to sit at for a long period of time. After all, no one wants a backache from sitting on an uncomfortable chair, or to catch a cold because the air is chilly!
As we touched on in the last point, no one wants to be cold when they work! Checking your comfort systems (your air conditioners or heat pumps) is a vital step in making sure you have an inviting space to work. No one is productive when they’re freezing!
Schedule in an appointment with your local climate control specialist as soon as possible, to make sure everything is working smoothly.
While it’s tempting to lounge in bed and sleep in, you’ve got to get up early if you want to be productive!
The quicker you start your day, the quicker you can finish it. Take advantage of the extra-short commute to your desk, to kick-start your productivity.
You wouldn’t show up to the office in your pyjamas, so don’t show up to your desk without putting on a pair of pants! Take the time to prepare for your day-job by getting dressed, making that cup of coffee and logging into a work-specific profile.
Getting yourself into the mindset of your workday is a big boost to anyone’s productivity. And as an added bonus, you also create mental separation for when you’re finished work.
Time-blocking is a very useful tool for creating a schedule for your workday.
Decide what tasks you want to accomplish and when you need to do them. Set aside time for lunch, breaks and phonecalls. This way, your schedule is manageable, and your day doesn’t fall off the rails.
No one wants to breathe in the stale and stuffy air. If you have the benefits of having an air conditioner, you may not know that your air conditioning is constantly cleaning and improving the air we breathe. This can make a dramatic difference in your health.
Not only that, but mould thrives in higher humidity and mould issues in a home can lead to (potentially serious) health problems. Your air conditioner acts like a large sponge to remove moist, humid air from your home. Avoid nasty viruses in your home and keep your family healthy and your work-environment comfortable.
A clean and well-maintained air conditioner ensures that it is running efficiently to circulate the air in your home properly. A small investment now means a happy and productive year ahead.
The afternoon is a great time to schedule in calls. You’ve had most of the day to wake-up and get a chunk of work done. Afternoon phone-calls help to keep your mornings productive. Not only that, but most people don’t like early-morning meetings!
Make sure that you plan your day in advance, to ensure that you get into flow right away. Working from home makes it easy to get distracted, so having a really clear plan and blocked-out time will help you stay on top of things from the start.
Obviously, you need to be able to be flexible, if necessary, but keeping to your schedule where possible will help you get everything done before the deadline. Get on top of those mounting stress levels, before they get on top of you.
Most of us spend hours browsing social media every day! Avoid the temptation by deleting the app or restrict your usage during work hours. Right now, it can be especially tempting to over-check social media and news sites, so try and limit this checking during your workday.
Finding ways to limit your social media usage during the day will exponentially increase the amount of work you can get done in a day. If you’re looking for a long-term boost to your work, then this is the way to go.
This sounds a little counter-intuitive, but it’s absolutely worth it! Schedule in more work so you’re never left wondering what to do next. If you don’t get it all done, that’s okay.
That way, you always have a solid list of tasks that you do on a day to day basis. You’ll also push yourself to get everything done, so that’s a win-win for you.
When are you most productive in your day? When do you feel awake and motivated? Find these times and schedule in your hardest tasks during this period of time. Use your unproductive hours to do menial tasks, like emails and phonecalls. This way, you make sure that you get the bulk of your work done. Make sure all of your priority tasks get done at the right time, so you can deliver the best possible work!
In a world where we can’t spend a lot of time connecting face-to-face, connecting digitally is more important than ever.
Instant messaging can help you stay up-to-date, and videoconferencing (such as using Zoom), will help you stay connected on a more personal level. Staying connected is not only important for your productivity but for your mental health too!
Music is vital for staying focused (and not getting bored!). Pick a playlist that helps you focus and gets you in the zone. Consider instrumental music, like music soundtracks, or video game tunes, to help you stay focused without distraction.
That said, there are no hard and fast rules. Use whatever music helps you stay focused on the task at hand.
Schedule in breaks and make sure you take them! Otherwise, you’ll end up taking unintentional breaks or working longer to compensate. Aim to eat lunch away from your desk, take a walk around your garden, or talk to your partner. Taking a real, meaningful break will help you be more productive in the long-term.
Okay, so maybe you can’t leave your home right now, but you can still pick up the phone!
Make time to call your friends, video with your co-workers and stay connected. Humans are social creatures and our mental health suffers without connection. So, make sure you make that a regular priority!
Aim to prepare your meals the night before you need to work. After all, when you’re at home, you can spend ages cooking, if you want to! Not only that, but you’ll probably end up snacking more if your fridge is right there, so try to avoid the temptation by preparing your meals the night before.
While you’re at home, you might as well get some laundry done, right? Using it as a timer instead of a distraction can help you stay focused. Commit to getting a certain task done while your laundry is washing, and then another task while it is in the dryer.
A timer does wonders for our productivity, as it gives you an enforced deadline when you might otherwise have all day to work on the project.
Many of us have our children home right now, so working from home is harder than ever. Make sure you set clear boundaries and let them know that you are not available during designated work hours. This will also allow you to be more present during family time!
When you work from home, you might end up working late to get tasks finished or letting your personal life bleed into your day-to-day work. Make sure that you set clear boundaries, so you can maintain a healthy work-life balance as much as possible.
Don’t get bogged down by your work- it only causes stress in the long-term. You want to make sure you’re getting a healthy and sustainable pace for your workday. Achieve that glorious work-life balance as quickly as possible for long-term and sustainable results.
Investing in your workspace and your family’s health is never a bad decision. So, if you need help creating a healthy, virus-free, comfortable work-environment, then give Alliance Climate Control a call today!
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