How To Work From Home And Be Highly Productive

How times have changed! The whole nation has been on a rapid show down with the current pandemic ravaging the world. So many things have come up that were totally unexpected or reasonably unforeseeable in the past weeks which has forced many to work from home or remotely.

Right now, we all most likely have our immediate needs handy and are staying home as much as we can. Most of us are also finding working remotely as something completely new and strange but I can assure you that it’s not as bad as it seems.

Though I had worked outside of the home in the past, but now as a business consultant, working from home is my reality (and I love it because of the flexibility I have with my time). I work and do my own thing from home – but not all day every day. There are some things I do to make my work day yield the results I anticipate to be able to meet the needs of my clients.

I will be sharing what you should keep in mind and things you should stay away from, now that you are stuck at home either alone or with your family to be productive. Hopefully, this season won’t last too long so we can all return to what’s normal and you can also return to your work environment.

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What you need to work from home to achieve higher productivity

1. Have a dedicated work space

Have your own safe space where you can collate your thoughts and keep focus on what you want to get done.

If you have kids, there might be distractions and you may need to ask your kids for some space.

If you and your spouse both work outside of the home but are now working remotely, you could have shifts where one person is in charge of the kids while the other works and vice versa. That way, you both can get your work done efficiently.

2. Self discipline

Self discipline is crucial if you want to work from home successfully and be highly productive.

When you are home, you are in an overtly familiar environment which is totally different from the work environment you are used to. You may actually be tempted to watch Netflix or your favorite T.V shows at this time.

Try to stay focus till your work is done and those monkeys are off your back. You actually enjoy those shows better when you have nothing on your mind to deliver at work.

3. Realistic Goals

Set realistic goals each day and try to meet them.

Before you set out to work, set out the tasks and goals you want to accomplish for the day ( just as you normally would) and keep yourself in check and accountable. No one is around to keep you on your toes or fully motivated, so you have to be your own self police.

Every thing work wise should basically be the same for the most part. Only that this time, the surrounding circumstances are different. It may take you a bit to ease into this new normal but you will definitely get a hang of it.

4. Take a break

Take a leg break. Take a stretch. Rest when needed.

Taking a 10 or 15 minute break to walk around your house or work space is actually not a bad idea. It helps your blood flowing and keeps your energy level up.

5. Eat

Eat lunch but don’t overindulge in it.

There’s a tendency to want to grab and eat all you can find in sight as you go since you are in a familiar terrain – your home (including the overstocked pantry of food caused by the pandemic). Don’t over feed so you won’t be too tired to work.

6. Stay away from social media during work times

Catching up with friends albeit virtually, can wait till after you have got work done. You could choose to take a peek when you are on your break just as you would if you were at your workplace.

Social media could be a great distraction to accomplishing anything worthwhile. It’s that great of a time thief. Don’t procrastinate. Do what you have to do now. Turn off all pings or notifications. Also put your phone on silent to avoid any form of unnecessary distractions.

7. Structure

I saved this for last because every other thing hinges on this. Whether it’s trying to get those monkeys at work off your back or getting the kids through the forced home schooling or even finding some quality time for yourself, you need structure.

Kids especially, need and actually love structure. That’s what also help teachers keep sane keeping like 30 children in check within the four walls of a classroom. Set out a timetable for when what is to be done, and try to follow your schedule as much as you can.

Related: Social Media And Your Mental Health

What if there’s so much distraction that you can’t keep up or work at all?

If you feel you can’t achieve much because of distractions and also taking into consideration the urgency of your deliverable at work, you could maximize the day by spending time with your kids and do only what you can reasonably handle during the day.

Take a nap while you can. But sleeping during the day would mean you would have to stay up at night when there’s some peace and quiet to get more work done.

You however don’t have to stay up throughout the night so you can be refreshed to pick up your tasks where you left off in the morning.

Bonus Tips

-Working on your mindset and treating your work from home like you would treat your work at the office leads to the level of productivity you desire.

-When work is done and dusted, cut yourself some slack. You could take up your virtual poking finger and poke the heavens out of your friends, family and colleagues. It’s actually a good time for virtual pokes on Facebook. Have fun with it! 🙂 #virtualpokes

Were you able to get some work in today?

Stay safe!