With the coronavirus limiting our movements, more people are being forced to work from home than ever before. At first being outside the office seems like a lot of fun – ‘Lie-ins and working in my pjs? Yes please!’. But it comes with its own set of problems. Distractions are everywhere. More self-discipline is needed. And your work life can easily take over your home. So here are my top tips for creating a working environment that fully supports your business goals whilst also protecting your personal life.
1. Get Started Early
I personally love getting started early. We’ll generally use as much time as we’re given. So if we’re used to getting up at 7:00am and being in work by 9:00am, we’ll use those full two hours to get ready when working from home. And we won’t think it’s an issue because we usually start work at 9:00am anyway, right?
Instead, I prefer to use that usual hour to get ready and sit down at my desk, ready to work, at 8:00am. That way I’ll get more done earlier in the day and can finish an hour early!
Whenever I lounge around and take my time getting ready, I always find that, once I get started, I’m slow, sluggish, and unmotivated. Starting early, if you’re able to, and keeping things fast-paced helps me to maintain motivation throughout the day. A slow start will just breed more of the same.
2. Play to Your Strengths
That being said, it’s important to play to your strengths. One of the best things about working from home is that you might be able to set your own hours. So if you work best first thing in the morning, get up early and sit down at your desk by 6:00am. If you’re a little slow in the morning, start and finish later in the day!
3. Create a Dedicated Work Space
Whilst working from the comfort of your bed might be tempting, it’s also a recipe for disaster. You’re unlikely to be in the right frame of mind to smash your to-do list and very likely to succumb to a long nap during the day. Not only that but you’ll probably also find it harder to relax when you actually go to sleep in the evening because your bed has become your place of work. Create a dedicated work space at your desk or kitchen table with everything you need to work efficiently – laptop, pens, notepad, water, snacks etc. Make this space a part of your routine and you’ll find that when you sit down to work there, you’ll be in the right frame of mind to get things done.
4. Move Your Body
Working from home means that you’ll probably be moving a lot less. Your daily commute will be a thing of the past and, in current circumstances, you’re probably not hitting up your gym like you used to. Make an effort to move your body. Go on a run before work or take a walk during your lunch break. Do a HIIT workout or at-home yoga session. Just do something to get the blood pumping and stop you feeling so stagnant from sitting in the same spot all day long.
5. Limit Social Media Using These Apps
Social media is one of the biggest time sucks and, at home, your boss isn’t watching over you to make sure you’re not scrolling on Instagram. You have to take matters into your own hands. Realise that for every minute you scroll, that’s another minute you have to add on to the end of your day to get the job done. By avoiding social media, you can increase your efficiency and productivity.
Use the moment app to track how much time you actually spend on your phone – you’ll be surprised! Then download a blocking app such as Offtime or Flipd to stop you from going on social media sites for certain periods of time.
6. Schedule Breaks
Working flat out all day just isn’t realistic – our brains can only concentrate for so long! Consider scheduling in specific times to get tasks done, as well as times to take a break, grab a cup of tea, and watch a youtube video of cats on skateboards. Scheduling breaks will make you more focused during your working hours, as you know 15 minutes of chilling is just around the corner.
7. Stay Connected
Working from home means that you lack the major social aspect of office life. There’s no good morning from your boss, no banter with your mate on the desk next to you. Freelance/work from home life can get pretty lonely, so make sure to schedule in time for staying connected. In normal circumstances that might mean grabbing a coffee with a friend or having a date night with your partner. Currently, it might look more like Facetime calls. Whatever it is, make sure to stay in contact with those close to you – for their sake as well as yours!
8. Make a To-Do List
Start each morning by making a to-do list of what needs to get done today. Be realistic and write them in order of priority. This way you can maintain some level of focus in your day, as well as feel motivated to tick items off. By the end of the day, you’ll be able to clearly see what you’ve got done, which can either leave you feeling proud of yourself or give you a kick up the bum to improve tomorrow! If you didn’t get much done, ask yourself why? Write down how you can improve your work from home strategy tomorrow.
9. Pick a Finishing Time & Stick to It
Freelancers the world over will tell you how easy it is to keep working well into the evening when you’re at home. Set yourself some working hours and stick to them, no matter what, no exceptions. If you didn’t do as much work as you’d like, make note of how you can improve, go to bed and try again tomorrow. Don’t fall into the trap of working endless hours. Often when we do this, it actually means we’re not working effectively. Aim to get as much done in as little time as possible. Like I said earlier, we’ll fill the time we’re given. You can stretch a task to make it last all day or you can get it done in an hour. So give yourself a reasonable amount of time and stick to it.
10. Try these Productivity Hacks
When working from home (or anywhere for that matter), productivity is key. Using your time wisely means that you can enjoy the freedom that comes with being at home. Check out these 10 Productivity Hacks that will Change Your Life to be your most productive self and smash your work goals as efficiently as possible.
Click here to find out what 10 productivity hacks changed the game for my workflow
