Five Tips to Master the Art of Working From Home
If you are one of those blessed that can (and do!) work from home, we have something to say to you. First of all, it is now officially proved that working remotely indeed increases performance, and the increase is significant. The study shows that not everyone chooses to work from home, as for some people socializing with coworkers means more than having the opportunity to work in their own rhythm. Butaccording to the study, those who favored telecommuting, statistically work more productively, are generally happier, and even quit less often.
Those people who took part in this study volunteered to work from home, which means they could have already had a natural preference for working remotely. There are still lots of people who are forced to do so, and maybe if they had a chance, they would prefer a chaotic fussy environment, which can be distracting for one, but helps to be more creative for others. There are also some people who lack self-discipline, and they may even hate working from home.
I am definitely not one of those haters because I love working outside the office, so I can share with you some tips on how to increase your productivity if you work from home.
Start your daily routine with getting dressed
Maybe, it was one of your sweetest dreams just to roll out of your bed (or even stay in bed with your pajamas on) and start your working day without bothering about all those “unnecessary things” like putting your pants on or brushing your hair. And this is indeed one of those benefits that comes with working on your own at home. The trick is that very soon your relaxed behavior starts to influence your productivity. Therefore, you need to split the working part from the relaxing part.
Such a simple thing as putting your clothes on can help you get into a working state of mind. You do not need to do makeup or put your best blouse on, or iron your suit and choose a tie; in most cases, simple, comfortable clothes is enough (however, if you want to work with your best clothes on, no one dares to forbid you).
It is not so easy to fool your mind and make it work effectively if it “feels like home, feels like it is time to do nothing.” You need something to create a border, to leave this procrastination state aside. And more or less formal clothes can do that for you. Putting nice clothes on starts a psychological switch to the “working mood”. Plus, in case there is a Skype call, you will not need to run all around your house in panic trying to find “something normal” so you do not feel ashamed.
Find time for exercising and commuting
Commuting? Seriously? Yes, this is absolutely not a joke: getting out of the house before you start your working day can make you work more efficiently. It may sound ridiculous, but it has sense. The thing is, starting work immediately after waking up does not give your brain time to adapt to another rhythm. But during the time you spend outside, you mentally prepare for working.
The good thing is you do not need to take a train or drive for 40 minutes, just a little walk around your house can work perfectly. You may even turn it into a small ritual: for instance, you may go to a café to buy some coffee and go back through the nearest park. Then you can come back home with the feeling you are actually coming to an office, but a very nice and comfortable one.
This short morning walk outside has another bonus “side-effect”—it makes you move more. This is especially important if you have a sedentary way of living. Therefore, it is also important to make short exercise breaks during the day. Just like you had coffee breaks in the office, you need the same breaks while working at home, though it is better to use this time healthier.
You can use any of those numerous videos with HIIT workouts on YouTube—they are usually around 10-15 minutes long. If you are not in the mood for sweating, you can simply go out of the house, walk for a short while, or you can do just any exercises at all for a start. In any case, exercises will boost your mood and productivity. And this is exactly what we need.
Do not let anyone distract you
If you want to stay sane while working at home, you need to make a rule for everybody you live with not to disturb you during working hours. It is great to spend time with your family, but if you are distracted by your kids and your significant other all the time, you are risking to have problems with focusing on important details and, therefore, to make lots of mistakes. Sometimes, it is difficult for others to understand that although you are staying at home, you still cannot give your loved ones all the attention they want. But you can find a balance in this situation.
You can find a learning station for your kids, and choose, for instance, some course on the Internet to keep them busy. If your significant other also works from home, it is better to work at the same time but in different rooms (if it is possible).
It is important to escape the distraction that comes not only from the people in your household, but from the rest of the world as well. Try not to use Facebook, Twitter, and other time-wasting sources. They are a straight way to procrastination. You go just to reply to the message from your friend, and in half an hour you find yourself watching cat GIFs and sending the funniest ones to everyone in your Skype friend list.
If the temptation is too big, you can even remove the bookmarks from your browser or put your phone into an airplane mode. As for me, I chose to create a guest account on my laptop. I never activate any of my social networks under this account, and if I need a break, I would rather get away from the desk and let my eyes and my body rest than start browsing the Internet.
Use both focused and diffuse modes
You can get the best results while working when you use both focused and diffused modes, but not at the same time. For instance, you can use the Pomodoro Technique. This technique requires you to work hard for 25 minutes, and then to give yourself some reward, like browsing the Internet, drinking a cup of coffee, or talking to a friend. And then you repeat the session.
The trick is to switch the brain from focused (i.e. working) mode, when you work hard, to the diffused (i.e. relaxing) mode, when you do any other things that let your brain forget about work for a while. If you are focused all the time, you will not only feel exhausted and burned out in the long term, you will simply be less creative and effective right now. When you switch your attention to something else on purpose, your mind keeps on working in the background, but since you are not focusing on the problem, it can see other ways of solving it.
Sometimes 25 minutes of working and then 15 minutes of lying in bed with eyes closed can be much more productive than 35 minutes of non-stop hard working. You give your brain an opportunity to rest, it gives you back nice ideas as a reward. During those breaks, you may do your exercises, check your Facebook (finally!), or walk the dog. Whatever makes you forget about your task for a while is good.
Set boundaries for your work
The best thing about working from home is that you can make your own rules. If it is better for you to sit in Starbucks café, go and work there. You may also go to a coworking center, especially if you had planned a meeting during the day. If you are a late riser, give yourself an opportunity to sleep in the morning and start your working day later. If you have always dreamed of working while sitting in a lounge chair and drinking mojito, this is the time to do it.
If you tend to procrastinate, it is better to find a physical space in your house that you will use as an office. It can be a separate room or a table which you use only for working and for nothing else. So when you are leaving this place, you will have the feeling that the working day is over.
If your working hours are scheduled, try to use them as effectively as you can (remember that your mind is working even when you have a break) and force yourself to stop when the working day is over. Do not try to do everything in one day. Do not work on your weekend. Treat yourself nicely. And finally, enjoy being outside the office.
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