10 Work-From-Home Hacks to Level Up Your Productivity
Have you ever wondered whether working from home makes you more or less productive? According to the latest research, fully remote employees are surprisingly less productive than their in-office counterparts.
Now, this doesn’t necessarily mean working from home is a bad idea. In fact, several studies have shown that hybrid workers - those who work from home on some days and from company premises on other days - are just as productive as their office-bound colleagues.
This proves that remote work arrangements have their fair share of benefits. The trick for remote workers is to make deliberate choices that maximize their productivity. This article highlights ten tried-and-tested work-from-home hacks for improved productivity.
1. Creating a Dedicated Workspace
Working remotely affords you the flexibility to work from anywhere, be it your living room, gazebo or kitchen countertop. Still, it’s important to have a designated work zone that allows you to concentrate on work and minimize distractions.
If you have a spare room, this is the best place to set up your home office. But even without an extra room, you can improvise and convert other unused areas into workstations. The space underneath a staircase, an unused corner in the living or dining room, a loft, closet space, the nightstand section—all these areas can be transformed to serve as home offices.
What’s important is ensuring that your workspace has the following:
- Natural or overhead lighting - the area should be well-lit to prevent unnecessary fatigue and eye strain.
- Ergonomic furniture - should have ample space to fit an ergonomic desk and chair for optimal comfort.
- Storage options - incorporate storage units to store your office supplies, such as wall-mounted shelves.
2. Structuring Your Day Like an Office Workday
As a remote employee, it can be tempting to work without a routine. After all, one of the greatest perks of this arrangement is the freedom to set your own working hours.
However, you should structure your day like an office workday to maximize your productivity. In fact, you should create a work-from-routine that suits your lifestyle.
Start by establishing your working hours. You’ll want to set these for when you’re most productive. For some, this could mean the typical 9-to-5. However, others might prefer 8-to-4 or 12-to-8 or other. What matters is that you follow the routine to the letter.
Once you’ve determined your work hours, create blocks of time and assign tasks accordingly. Figure out the most vital tasks and schedule them when your focus is at its highest. At the same time, determine the lower-priority tasks. Such activities should be tackled when your focus starts to wane.
3. Utilizing Technology and Tools
Leveraging tools can also boost your productivity when working from home. These technologies aid in managing tasks, coordinating with colleagues and accessing/ storing crucial information. Each of these tasks contributes to your overall productivity.
Task management tools like MagicTask can be particularly beneficial. This platform lets you organize tasks into lists and assign priority levels.
This then makes it easy to identify the tasks that should be handled first and the ones that should be handled later. This tool also facilitates collaboration by allowing users to share tasks with team members.
4. Managing Distractions at Home
You might not realize it, but distractions are among the biggest killers of productivity. Every interruption interferes with your ability to focus, making it harder to embark on the task at hand.
In fact, research shows that it takes nearly 23 minutes to refocus once you’ve been distracted. If you do the math, you lose a whopping one hour of productivity if you’re distracted thrice. To avoid this, here are a few tips to help you manage distractions when working from home:
- Set time-bound goals - creating goals with specific timeframes will help you maintain focus for that predetermined period. You're less likely to fall for distractions since you’re working towards completing the goal.
- Turn all notifications off -Another way to maintain razor-sharp focus is to turn off all notifications. Set aside time during your long breaks to check them so you’re not distracted during your working hours.
- Block social media - This might seem extreme, but it’s necessary if you can’t control your social media usage. Install an app or website blocker restricting access to these social networks while working.
- Avoid multitasking - don’t be tempted to juggle work and house chores, as this can easily hamper your productivity. Instead, create a schedule and stick to it. If it’s time to work, then focus on that. If it’s time to unplug, then step away from work and relax or do chores.
5. Keeping a To-Do List
Creating a to-do list is another hack for maximizing your productivity as a remote worker. It offers two main benefits: accountability and structure.
Writing down everything you need to do helps you see the big picture. You can then break it down into small, manageable tasks or milestones that can be tracked. This will ensure that you stay on top of projects and remain organized.
And with tools like MagicTask, creating a to-do list is a breeze. Once you have an account, you can create task lists with their respective details, deadlines, and priority levels.
6. Setting Clear Boundaries With Household Members
You may find it challenging to be productive when you’re always distracted by family members.
So, one thing you should do is establish clear limits. Let your family know they can’t disrupt you during work hours. Adding a visual symbol—like a “Do not Disturb” or “Stop” sign—is an excellent way to set boundaries, especially for kids. Having a designated workstation also helps to enforce these boundaries.
At the same time, it’s important to unplug at the end of the day. Once you’re done working, detach yourself from work-related activities and spend time with your family. When you make time for them, they will also find it easy to respect your work boundaries the rest of the time.
7. The Importance of Regular Breaks
While some remote workers easily fall for distractive activities, others become workaholics. Here’s the thing: both of these extremes negatively impact your productivity. In fact, a 2014 study revealed that workers’ output starts plummeting after a 50-hour work week. This shows that working longer or harder doesn’t necessarily make you more productive.
So, instead of working nonstop, take regular breaks. Create a routine that incorporates these breaks. Better yet, use time management hacks like the Pomodoro, which slots in breaks after every 25 minutes of work.
Allowing your mind and body to rest helps you rejuvenate. This allows you to resume work with greater creativity, focus, and decision-making ability.
8. Staying Physically and Mentally Healthy
Just because you’re working from home doesn’t mean you put your physical and mental health on the back burner. In fact, these areas should take center stage if you want to boost your productivity.
Prioritizing self-care ensures you have a clear mind and relaxed body to tackle the day’s activities. You can make better decisions, be more creative, and maintain focus for longer. In a recent survey, the respondents cited greater productivity as one of the perks of indulging in self-care.
Here are a few tips to keep you physically and mentally healthy when working from home:
- Nourish yourself - prepare nutrient-rich meals and snacks, and hydrate regularly
- Schedule regular workouts - They don’t have to be strenuous, though. This can be as simple as going for a stroll or stretching at your desk.
- Get sufficient sleep - ensure you sleep for the recommended 7 to 9 hours every night. This gives your body time to relax and re-energize.
- Schedule time off - don’t skip your vacation or leave days. Taking time off is essential to recharge your body and mind.
- Look for hobbies - spare time to engage in leisure activities outside your work routine. These are great for destressing and boosting your creativity.
9. Regular Communication
Working remotely doesn’t mean you have to cut off connections with colleagues. On the contrary, it’s more important to maintain connections with coworkers.
Maintaining a collaborative environment is sure to boost your productivity and morale. As a bonus, it also minimizes loneliness and isolation, which you’re vulnerable to due to the nature of your work. Here are a couple of tactics that might help:
- Arrange virtual breaks - whether taking a coffee or lunch break, consider inviting fellow remote workers to join you.
- Learn new skills together - whether a sport, work-related skill or other shared interest, invite your coworker and learn together. For instance, you can learn a new language together, especially if it contributes to your career development.
- Use visual collaboration software - these programs allow you to communicate with your team in real time. Mural is a good case in point. It allows remote workers to connect, correspond, brainstorm, and plan on a shared platform.
10. Reviewing and Adjusting
You might not get your work-from-home routine right the first time. So, it’s important to review your schedule and practices regularly. This will help you determine what is or isn’t working and adjust accordingly.
For instance, if you realize you’re more productive in the afternoon than in the morning, you could switch things around. This means tackling lower-priority tasks early in the morning and the high-priority ones during peak productivity hours.
Conclusion
Working from home can blur the lines between your professional and personal lives, compromising productivity. The key is realizing this early on and making necessary changes to maximize productivity.
Some of the most effective productivity tips for remote work include having a designated work area and creating a to-do list. Additionally, set clear limits, manage distractions, and leverage productivity tools and technology. Keeping in touch with coworkers and taking regular breaks also helps you operate optimally.