For many people, the idea of working from home is a dream come true. For others, it can be one of the hardest jobs to do. Whether you’ve always wanted to work from home or not, you’ll have to develop a sharp sense of focus in order to remain productive. The last thing you want to do is lose your job due to a lack of productivity. In order to stay focused while working at home, include these tips into your workflow process.
1. Find a Quiet Place
If you need to host video-conferencing calls, manage a lot of phone calls or take time to think and strategize, a quiet space is important. If you have young children, they might not be the greatest with understanding the importance of quiet time. While that can provide its own challenges, do your best to find a space in your house that you can make sound-proof.
When you’re able to facilitate professional conversations without the fear of background noise or incessant interruptions, this can help you improve the professionalism of your home office.
2. Talk with Your Family
Have a good conversation with your family about what you need in order to thrive as you work from home. Help them understand that they need to keep interruptions to a minimum in order for you to remain productive. If you have little children, it might be best to find a sitter or talk to your spouse about how to manage them during office hours. Don’t underestimate the power of thorough, clear communication.
3. Keep Supplies Well-Stocked
If you look at some of the work sessions where you’ve wasted a lot of time, you might be able to attribute some of the sessions to a lack of preparation. This is why it’s best to take inventory of everything you have and everything you still need. If you use a lot of pens and looseleaf paper, stock up. If you love to write everything down in a planner each day, find an organized option.
Also, If you’re talking to clients on a regular basis, invest in a great wireless office headset. At the end of each workweek, take note of the items you need to purchase that will make your work life a lot easier. When the office is well-stocked, this is one less worry for your plate.
4. Use the Pomodoro Method
The Pomodoro Method is an incredible method used by plenty of students who need to study for hours. In order to remain focused and productive, this method involves the use of a timer. Once you’ve set the timer, you’re required to work until it stops. Then, you get a timed break.
You repeat the process until you’ve completed all of your work. Whether you’re working for five hours or eight hours, the use of this method can help you develop a different level of focus.
This effective time management strategy starts with 25 minutes of work. Then, you can stop for a five-minute break. As you discipline yourself to manage 24 minutes of work without stopping, you can increase the time by five to 10 minutes. The goal is to get your mind used to working without stopping for long periods of time.
5. Create a Comfortable Zone
When you’re uncomfortable, it’s going to be very hard to focus on the task at hand. Consider the temperature of the room. If it’s too hot or too cold, this will make a difference. Keep a space heater and a fan nearby. Depending on the season, one of those tools will be very helpful. If you’re sitting down to get work done, invest in a desk chair that supports your back.
Don’t try to steal a wooden chair from the breakfast table in order to save money. Your health matters. An uncomfortable chair will ruin your posture, impact your spine, and make it hard to sit for long periods of time. Elevate your feet when it’s time to sit to do work. When. your feet are properly elevated, this helps with maintaining an efficient circulation of the blood.
For some people, the idea of working in a chaotic environment can work. For others, it’s virtually impossible. The best idea is to find a level of consistency within the chaos. Avoid the temptation to go do the dishes, run a few errands, or talk with friends. Get clear about what needs to happen each workday, and focus on crossing tasks off of your list. Before long, you’ll have the precision and focus of a high-ranking soldier.