The Covid-19 pandemic has completely changed the way millions of people work, with many companies adopting work-from-home setups. While the prospect of not needing to dress up, drive or take public transportation, and buying lunch outside would seem attractive for many people, it can be quite a daunting task for many to pull off! Now, more than ever, you begin to realize what you have been missing from working in an office or outside your home. There are such things as having small talk with officemates, hanging out by the water cooler or coffee machine, and eating lunch out at the pantry or cafeteria. There are now so many other distractions which can derail your productivity at home, and you would need a special set of rules and a focused mindset to make this work for you.
How To Focus On Work While Working From Home
Starting Within
The isolation that comes with remote working only magnifies the potential distractions you can encounter inside your own home. These can make you lose focus fast, and once this happens, job productivity goes downhill pretty fast. In order to avoid this from happening, you need to start with a healthy dose of good old self-discipline. You would need to start by motivating yourself by setting rewards once work milestones have been reached. This may come as simple as a small bowl of fruits, or a 15-minute rest, but what matters is there is a motivational goal you are trying to reach for. This makes doing tasks more enjoyable, and could fire you up to work faster, knowing that a dreamy cup of coffee would be awaiting you once your task is finished. Always keeping your goals clearly in sight is also integral in keeping your motivation high, knowing exactly what your career goals and purpose for working are. Going back to this during times of hardship or low motivation is a great way to get you back on track.
A Workspace That Works
An effective workplace both in the office and at home is integral to staying on track and getting things done. At home, try to look for a space in which you can spend a lot of time without getting distracted by other people or gadgets. Make sure that it’s far away from the TV lounge area, or the place where most of your family or household stay. Also clearly state to everyone at home that this is your work area, and they should respect your space, careful not to disturb you unless it’s something important which needs your attention. Having secured your own personal office space at home, next would be to make sure it’s comfortable as well! Sitting around for hours on end isn’t something enjoyable at all, and even something as simple as a high-quality office chair is an investment that would reward you and your body immeasurably for years to come.
Keeping Time
Just because you’re at home doesn’t mean that you can come and go from your office space any time you want. Try to keep a strict office schedule even when in the confines of your house, having a good hour or so for lunch with your family, and a few short breaks in-between. Part of proper time management is sticking to deadlines as well, and just because you’re not sitting right across your boss in the office doesn’t mean you shouldn’t follow the deadlines he’s set for your work as well. Be sure to act professional and treat each workday as you would if you had been still going to work. This is the key to being able to work from home focused and motivated, as well as to minimize the stress associated with it.
Keeping Time
