By Precilia Freetage
The best thing about working from home is that you don’t have to worry about driving or commuting to your workplace. All you have to do is get out of bed and walk a few steps to your work corner. But remote work also requires more focus and time management, especially because you have to establish a clear line between your working space and your living space. We’ve gathered some of the most helpful tips on how to be more productive when working from home.
1. Have Functional Tools
The computer is the most important tool for most people who do remote work at home. Always make sure your computer’s operating system and anti-malware apps are always updated to lessen the risk of malfunction and loss of important files. A stable Internet connection must always be present in your home, and it must be accessible from your dedicated workspace at all times. You should also consider these 5 essential tools that will help you become more organized and efficient in your remote work.
Your work may also require other devices like printers, copiers, scanners, and additional computer monitors. Set aside certain days to run maintenance on each device to avoid the risk of situations that might delay your work, like printer malfunctions due to paper jams and improper ink cartridge insertion.
2. Create a Comfortable Workspace
One of the best ways to be more productive when working from home is to create a comfortable workspace. Your desk should be large enough to support your computer, phone, office supplies, and other essential work materials but small enough that it does not take up too much space in your home office. If you don’t have one yet, Amazon has a list of best-selling small home office desks that are easy to set up by yourself. Target is also a popular seller of computer desks, corner desks, and writing desks ranging from $25 to $200 that will suit your home office needs.
If you don’t have a separate room for your dedicated workspace, vanity tables are a good alternative for desks because they are small and compact. Ebay sells vanity tables that have contemporary, traditional, modern, and other styles depending on your personal preference. Walmart also features a wide selection of vanity tables at budget-friendly prices.
If you want to get more creative with your home office layout without using up too much space, buy a wall-mounted desk and set it up at table top height. Wayfair sells floating desks with different colors and design options for you to choose from. Some floating desks are even foldable or collapsible so you can mount them in smaller spaces.
3. Reduce Distractions
Your dedicated workspace should be a work-friendly environment, which means that it must be free of the common distractions at home. Avoid unnecessary clutter on your desk during work hours. Make sure your desktop is only filled with the things that you need for work. Other items should be stowed away and must only be retrieved when you need them to finish a certain task. Schedule a day where you clean up your workspace efficiently.
In order to focus on your tasks, your workspace must be in a place that you enjoy staying in for hours. If you live in the city and are easily annoyed by noise in the streets, then you should relocate your workspace away from the windows or wear earphones to drown out the background noise. If you are easily tempted to visit the refrigerator frequently for snack breaks, then you should do your remote work in a room far from the kitchen. If your workspace is in the bedroom but you find yourself taking naps more often than you should, adjust your desk so that you are facing away from your bed.
There are other distractions that might hinder your productivity from doing remote work. Evaluate your surroundings and identify the things that frustrate so you can figure out on how to eliminate these causes of stress. Even small changes can help you be more productive when working from home.
4. Add Comfort and Inspiration
A well-decorated workspace motivates you to stay there and finish your tasks for the day. Choose shades of blue and green for the walls of your home office because they are scientifically proven to be more relaxing. A few paintings on your wall and some green plants will also add life to your workspace.
Buy drapes, curtains, and other window treatments that will enhance the visual atmosphere of your room. They can help you adjust natural lighting and reduce glare. Home Depot has plenty of options for you and they regularly offer discounts online.
Aside from your desk, your chair also has a huge impact on your remote work performance because you’ll spend most of the day sitting down. Ikea is a good place to buy sturdy and comfortable home office chars. If you want to invest on ergonomically correct chairs, SmartFurniture sells some of the best ones that are well worth the price.
The lighting on your room is also important. Visit Amazon or other retail stores and choose a desk lamp that is bright enough that your remote team can see you during conference video calls but dim enough that your eyes won’t get fatigued from the glare of the lamp and the computer.
5. Focus on Organization
You may need to store a variety of things within your office. These might include paper files, books and manuals, even physical product. If you don’t manage this, you could end up with a mess. A simple filing cabinet or hutch may not be adequate. This is why a decent storage and organizational system for your office is so important and will help you be more productive when working from home.
Having a home office means that you will be keeping important documents and files in your dedicated workspace. Search The Container Store for file cabinets, shelves, organizers, and other storage equipment that will be able to secure a lot of things in one or two places. The space on your desk must only be reserved for office supplies that you use daily, such as planners, staplers, and pens. Everything else should be stowed away in storage containers. Loose wires, extension cords, and other small electronic devices usually contribute to the clutter, so collect them all and place them in one easy-to-access box or drawer.
You can also buy rolling file carts from Amazon or Office Depot if you want a compact, mobile storage unit for your laptop, office supplies, and other materials. Whenever you need to do remote work, you can just simply wheel the rolling file cart to your home office. This way, your work essentials can be moved from one place to another without ease.
If your workspace has very limited space for you to keep stacks of paper documents, you can choose to scan them and store them in your computer’s hard drive. Keeping a digital copy of your documents will greatly reduce the clutter in your workspace, and you don’t have to worry about misplacing them because files are easy to find in a computer than in multiple folders and cabinet drawers.
6. Learn Digital Communication Platforms
Not every remote team or freelance company uses the same apps or methods to keep in touch with one another, so it’s important to be familiar with many different digital communication platforms. Popular examples are Skype, Trello, Zoom, and GroupMe. Download these apps and give them a try so you will be familiar on how to use them the next time your remote group members choose one of these apps.
7. Communicate Consistently, Clearly, and Concisely
The three C’s of communication are important whether you interact to your remote team through phone calls, emails, or group messages. Being consistent means that your peers are familiar with the way you interact with them and the types of messages they receive from you. Clarity in conversations is important so you won’t have to repeat important instructions all over again. And because time is a precious resource for any type of work, always be concise when giving instructions and sharing your ideas.
8. Improve Writing Skills
Every now and then you will communicate with your remote team through video or phone calls, but most of your interactions with clients and colleagues will be done through writing. This is why as a remote worker or freelancer, writing is one of the strongest skills that you should develop in order to be more successful. In remote teams, written communication is more efficient than verbal communication because you can relay your thoughts and ideas more clearly. You also have the option to read past messages and conversations in group chats or email inboxes. In order words, you can save more time and energy when you give out written instructions rather than calling every now and then to remind others on what to do.
Summary of How to Be More Productive When Working from Home
Always remember that a healthy work environment promotes healthy work behavior, no matter where you conduct your business. We hope you learned some important things from these tips on how to be more productive when working from home, and that you can also share them to others who are looking for advice on how to stay motivated and productive when they work at home. By spending some time to address working from home, you will have the tools and motivation to accomplish any task from your home office.