How to Be Productive When You’re Working From Home

Working from home is a luxury; you don’t have to deal with a commute, dress code, or office politics. However, it does have obstacles that you’ll have to overcome. For instance, there are chores, loud family members, the TV, and pets whining for attention. So, it’s amazingly easy to get entangled with distractions.

How can anyone get things done in this chaos? However, there are strategies to make your days run smoother and more productively. Although it takes a little effort, you’ll be infinitely glad you did it.

Moreover, you can thrive by using the following tactics when you’re working from home:

1. Create your working from home “space”

First, you’ll need to choose a secluded, dedicated area in your home to set up your workspace. It doesn’t need to be an entire spare room. A quiet, low-traffic nook in a corner will suffice as long as there’s enough space for your supplies.

Once you’ve chosen your area, you’ll need a desk or a surface to use. Invest in a comfortable chair because you’ll be using it most of the time.

Then customize your new “office,” so it promotes focus and creativity. Additionally, you can play some calming music and clear out any clutter from the room.

Shift into “work mode” every time you enter this space. That will trigger your mind into productive mode instead of messing around on social media.

2. Write down your working from home schedule and tell others about it

Next, write down all the obligations you have each day and when you’ll do them. Type your plan into a calendar app that will notify you when it’s time to do them.

Break down the huge vague burdens into small action steps. That will help you get into gear when you know exactly what you need to do.

Then sort your projects from the most valuable to the least. Aim to do the most demanding thing first. You won’t feel like jumping into the most arduous task immediately but just do it. Afterward, you’ll feel a huge relief and a boost in motivation and confidence. Not to mention, you finished something critical to your future success.

Also, make sure to include breaks every 75 to 90 minutes. Use this time to move your body, get your heart pumping, and awaken your mind. Taking a walk will be perfect for this (weather permitting.)

Do your most demanding assignments when you’re most energetic. Usually, this is in the morning.

3. Create a daily routine while working from home

It’s helpful to have habits that will keep you on track when you’re working from home. Furthermore, the routine you do beforehand will signal to your brain that it’s time to get busy.

For example, you could start your morning with a good breakfast, exercise, and a shower. Then get dressed. Some people find it motivating to dress up as if they were still going to the office. Besides, you might want to do that if your company has Zoom meetings.

4. Handle the infamous working from home distractions

The worst thing about working from home is dealing with all the commotion.

Therefore, let everyone who lives with you know your schedule and not disturb you unless it’s an emergency. They need to know that just because you’re at home doesn’t mean you’re free to do anything.

The worst diversions for me are my two dogs. They are obsessed with me.

For example, when I’m writing, my Doberman/Lab (Sadie) will stare at me until she falls asleep. It’s pretty distracting.

Or our Great Dane (Sammy) will pout on his bed for attention because he knows I can’t resist animals.

I try to have them hang out with my husband, but they always come back to my office. So, I found it’s best to wear them out with exercise that way they sleep most of the time.

I also put my phone on silent, and in a place, I can’t see it. Sometimes merely seeing something interesting can draw you to it.

5. Buy some noise-canceling headphones

Interruptions will ruin productivity and break your flow. On average, it takes people 25 minutes to get their focus back after an interruption. That’s why I’m always praising noise-canceling headphones. The slight white noise helps me focus and “hear” my thoughts better. I use them every day. They’re a necessity when you’re working from home.

They’re especially useful if you have a ton of people living with you. Every sound can pull your attention out of what you were doing and mess up your flow.

6. Track your time while working from home

Tracking my time is another useful tip for staying productive at home. Since I’m my boss, it can be easy to slack off or take an insane amount of time doing tedious tasks. But when I use RescueTime, it makes me feel focused and competitive to beat my time from yesterday. I thrive off competition; it’s motivating!

While looking for the RescueTime link, I could only find downloads for up to $99! Don’t worry; I got you! Here’s the free forever RescueTime.

7. Finish what you start

Aim to complete every task you start. Otherwise, things get pushed back to the next day. Even worse, you’re creating a detrimental habit of not taking your schedule seriously. Then, it’ll be even more challenging to get things done. These tasks will bother you from the back of your mind. Eventually, you’ll feel swamped and overwhelmed.

If the day ends and you haven’t finished, then break that project into smaller steps. That will make it easier to complete items on your list. Moreover, it’ll give you a feeling of accomplishment at the end of the day. Besides, you have made progress!

8. Check your attitude

If you despise working from home, then it’ll show in your results. However, if you gain a positive mindset, it’ll step up your productivity and creativity.

So, here are some tips to give your mood a boost.

• Write in a gratitude journal or call up a positive friend to get your perspective on the bright side of life.
• Play your favorite music in the background.
• Drink some coffee.
• Do some pushups or sit-ups to get a boost of serotonin and energy.

These tips will help you’re focused and in the game. Improving your mood will help you to tackle your schedule and make the time fly.

9. Don’t beat yourself up for not meeting your expectations

It can be challenging to be productive when you’re working from home. Especially if you’re berating yourself for every slipup, that’ll make matters much worse. The last thing you should do is de-motivate yourself.

If you have the urge to slack off, pretend that your boss was sitting next to you all day. Also, try to impress them by slaughtering every undertaking.

Everyone gets loses focus or spends too much time on some tasks. Simply let yourself know what you should be focusing on and transition to that. If you fall behind, then restructure your schedule, so tomorrow is more efficient.

In short, it is possible to get things done when you’re working from home. Make sure everyone knows not to bother you while you’re working. Then put on your headphones and block all disrupting background noises. After you create your office and settle in, you might surprise yourself with how much you get done! Try the above tips to optimize your productivity and slay the workday!

Repetition is essential for improving your life. Do yourself a favor and subscribe (below) for valuable articles like this sent to you every week. Good luck and let me know how it goes in the comments!