More people than ever
find themselves working from home. While the dream of opening your laptop, and
sitting in your pajamas all day sounds great, many are having a hard time
adjusting to this new reality.
Many are struggling
in learning how to work from home, or fashioning home offices out of any spare
furniture they have laying around. The biggest struggle for those working from
home is being as productive as they were in the office.
Managers everywhere are
worried they will see an insurmountable drop in productivity, and that their
workers will fall behind the ever-increasing to-do list.
As someone who feels
like a pioneer in virtual work, I can finally say that my time has come!
Finally, I can share my knowledge on how to work from home and still love it! I
have had triumphs and epic failures, but still love the ability to work
remotely, and have loved every day of craving out my stake as a freelancer, and
built my career faster than I believe I could have in a traditional working
environment.
If you are looking
for the best tips to work remotely, and still love it, read on!
How to set up your home office
For those struggling
to adjust to working at home, one of the easiest ways to get back on track is
to revamp your working space. While the notice to start working remotely was
nowhere to be found, people have acted fast to cobble together barely
functional work spaces.
For those working
remotely, having a working home office is a necessity. Having a great office
space doesn’t mean you have to drop a lot of money or even add all the bells
and whistles.
The key to any
workspace is that it is functional. That means having a hard surface for your
computer, a comfortable chair you can sit in for hours, and ideally a door you
can close for when you have virtual meetings.
You can make this out
of any items you already own. When I first started working from home, I used a
camp table and even an outdoor chair that had cupholders in the arms. It wasn’t
glamorous, but it worked and was comfortable. Depending on the tasks I was able
to switch where my ‘office’ was for the day and could work outside on sunny
days on my patio, or work at the kitchen table, or in the recliner if it suited
the work I had to do.
For working from home you will need:
- A dedicated workspace: Whether the kitchen table or sunroom, have
a dedicated area you will work.
- A Table/desk: For anyone who types you will need a table for your
day-to-day interactions.
- A comfortable chair: Camping chairs, kitchen chairs, or recliners?
While nothing can beat an office chair, a comfortable chair you can sit in
for hours will help!
- Office Equipment: High-speed routers, printers or scanners are all
necessities of working from home!
Setting up a home office
is a necessity for those working remotely. Not only will having a dedicated
space help switch your brain into work mode, but it can help you be more
productive. By having a dedicated workspace that is functional, you can focus
more on what you need to work on, not the distractions of your home!
Must-Have Items For Working Remotely
While those that work
in an office are used to having their work supplies readily available, those
transitioning into working from home may find that their workspace is
ill-equipped.
For those working
from home, they are often lacking the supplies they need to support their
workday. Having the right equipment goes a long way to having a more productive
workday!
Here are some must-have items for working remotely:
●
A Headset/webcam
●
High-Speed Internet
●
A Second Monitor
●
Printer or Scanner
●
A Good Pen (Nothing Beats A Good
Pen)
●
Sticky Notes
●
Pen Holder
●
Desk Organizer
●
Notebooks
When working
remotely, a headset and webcam go a long way! Online meetings are the norm
right now, so having the right equipment (if your camera is lacking) is a must!
Paired with fast internet these are necessities for meeting with your remote
team.
Having the right
equipment for working will minimize distractions throughout your workday.
Having to get up from your desk and scrounge the house for a pen or pencil and
a piece of paper won’t help your stay focused in your meeting.
Having pen and paper
handy will make it easier for you to get your work done in a day, and when you
get a smart idea you will be able to write it down as soon as the thought comes
to mind!
You should do all you
can to keep your home office as organized as possible. Having a clean layout to
your desk, and having all the necessities within an arm's reach. If you are
looking for some home office inspiration, check out this list of
best items for your office.
How To Make A Productive Routine
The biggest struggle
for those working from home for the first time. How to be productive while
working from home? It’s easy! Just have a productive routine! Creating a productive
daily routine for yourself is a great way to completely transform your workday.
It can be as easy as setting the right habits in the morning!
The biggest mistake
those working remotely do is they don’t have a hard ‘clock-in’ time. For those
looking to be more productive, having a firm time to start and end your day makes
it easy to frame the rest of your day and be more productive.
I have also found
that having a healthy breakfast and morning workout gets my blood pumping and
keeps me focused throughout the day.
This is what my productive morning routine looks like:
●
Wake Up
●
Make and Eat A Healthy breakfast
●
Read For 15 Minutes
●
Workout for 1 hour
●
Take A Shower
●
Get Dressed For Work
●
Clock in For Work
What I love about my
daily routine is that it is easy to modify depending on the day I am about to
have, and puts me in a great mood for the rest of the day!
Routines set the bar
high for personal productivity. If you aren’t much of a morning person you can
still make yourself a productive routine that works for you. Even a short walk
around the block is enough to get your blood pumping and help you get ready for
your day.
When it comes to
making a productive work routine, time blocking will be your best friend! Time
blocking is a way of scheduling your workday to accomplish the most important
tasks first. It minimizes distractions by applying a laser focus to the task at
hand and only working on this task until it is complete.
When you set up your
time block it is crucial to make sure that time is allocated correctly and
properly. You should focus only on the most important task that will make your
day easier if it is accomplished. Make sure you set realistic lengths of time
to accomplish these tasks, and then work in the daily tasks that need to be
completed.
By sticking to a
strict morning routine, and applying a time block to your activities you will
make it easier to keep yourself focused and productive when working from home.
How To Minimize Distractions When
Working From Home
Working remotely is a
blessing and a curse, while it may minimize the distractions caused by coworkers,
there is still plenty to be distracted by at home!
Dishes, laundry, pets,
children, you name it! To have a productive workday minimizing your home
distractions are a necessity. One of the easiest ways to remove distractions at
home is to set a clear routine and schedule for all your family members!
For those with children or pets properly time
blocking your day to include breaks to spend time with the kids, do an activity
or even take the dog on a walk! When you time block, you can evenly properly
schedule your children's schedule to collerlate when you have tasks that need
to be done. If your son takes a nap at 2, that is when you can schedule a
meeting to spend time working on your next big proposal.
You also need to set
clear ‘clock out’ time to spend time with your family. It is harder than ever
to unplug, but when you properly plan and time block you will feel more
productive and be able to relax and spend time with family.
Another major
distraction when working from home is noise! While soft music can help boost
your productivity, listening to Netflix in the background will make it harder
than ever to focus on your work. You can easily use a set of headphones and a
Spotify work playlist to keep your mind from wandering. Working in a quiet
room, or a room with a door can reduce distractions!
Keep your workplace
clear, as a messy workplace is easy to get distracted. Leave the household
tasks for after work hours, and make sure you keep your workspace clean and
organized as possible. A pile of laundry sitting next to your desk can distract
anyone, so make sure to have your space clear to give you room to focus.
Social media is a
huge time and productivity killer and by limiting when and how much time you
can spend on social media you can better focus your time and energy throughout
the day.
You can easily set a
trigger for yourself that signals the start of your workday. For me it is when
I light my scented candle. I know it is time to work by the time the smell of
the candle tickles my nose! It gives me just enough time to check emails and
get into my major time block of the day.
Summary
When I started
working remotely over 5 years ago, I didn’t know how it would affect my career.
Little did i know that I had actually made one of the biggest and best changes
to my life! I was able to accelerate my career to a whole new level, and be
able to raise my son. By following a strict routine and keeping myself
motivated, I have been able to make my own path.
More people are
finding themselves working remotely, and don’t know when they might be back in
the office. For them, they are trying to make the best of a totally new
situation! Working remotely can be extremely rewarding, if done correctly!
It requires planning, motivation, and a can-do
attitude to keep yourself focused. For those working remotely the first time,
having a plan to minimize distractions, a solid daily personal and work routine
and the right home office can make working remotely a dream come true!
Here Is How To
Start Working Remotely, And Love It:
●
Have A Home Office: have a dedicated workspace with a good table and chair. Your workspace
should be comfortable and functional for your work.
●
Have The Right Equipment: Router, printer, Scanner, webcam and a headset are some of the items
you will need for your workspace. Make sure your remote workspace has
everything you need to properly do your job!
●
Set A Productive Routine: From the time you get up to when you go to bed, having a productive
daily routine makes it easier for you to work remotely! Timeblocks your daily
work tasks to make it easier to focus on the most important work you need to
complete.
●
Minimize Distractions: Follow a routine that works for your family and your life, and keep a
clean workspace. By drawing a distinct line between your home and work hours
you can minimize distractions when working remotely.
Working remotely
offers freedom and flexibility. For those with the right amount of discipline, and
motivation it can be a dream come true!
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About the
Author:
Catherine Way graduated from Michigan State University with her Bachelor of
Advertising, with a specialization in Graphic Design. She is a content marketer
for business, mortgage, and real estate industries. She has written real estate
articles for Silver Doctors, The Paper
Source, Active Rain, and Progressing Income. She enjoys finding new
creative outlets through writing, designing, dancing, modeling and more. She currently writes and reports
for Prime Plus Mortgages:Hard Money Lenders
