How to get the most out of working from home

A number of businesses are now advising employees to work from home in an attempt to stop the spread of the Coronavirus. It is hoped that keeping employees further apart from each other will reduce the chance of group spread as well as the opportunity for the virus to be caught during a commute or in communal office spaces.

For many modern professionals, working from the comfort of your own home every once in a while, is a luxury. But when your five days in and you’ve been sitting on your own looking at the same four walls all week, with only the cat to talk to, it isn’t so luxurious after all.

This is often when boredom kicks in, distractions increase and productivity drops. At your home office, it is easy for you to become your own worst enemy. When you are not surrounded by co-workers, you are free to do as you please (you don’t even have to wear pants), because no one is watching. As a result, you don’t necessarily feel the same peer pressure or communal obligation to get stuff done.

But it’s 1pm and your boss has emailed asking what you’ve achieved this morning and replying with ‘put two loads of washing on, scrolled through Instagram and stared into space’ doesn’t quite seem like it will suffice.

So how do you keep from getting distracted with domestic duties? And what can you do to keep yourself working productively from home? Below, we have compiled our 10 best work-from-home tips and tricks to help you get the most out of working remotely.

1. Start working at your usual time

When working from the office, your morning commute gets you up and ready to work by the time you sit down at your desk. At home, the transition from your pillow to your computer can be more difficult. The temptation to stay in bed for an extra half an hour can throw you off your normal work routine and negatively affect your productivity throughout the rest of the day. Getting yourself up and ready to start work at your normal in-office hours will help you avoid morning sluggishness and keep you motivated.

2. Pretend you are going to the office

The mental association you make between work and being in the office can make you more productive, and there is no reason that feeling should be lost when working remotely. When working from home, make the conscious effort to do the things you would normally do to prepare for an office role: Set your alarm, have your morning coffee, have a shower, dress in your usual office-wear. Getting fully ready for the day and pretending you are actually going to work will minimise the chance of you ‘accidentally’ ending up back in bed.

3. Structure your day

Working from home means you’ve been promoted to manager, even if it is only of yourself. This means you’re in charge of keeping yourself on schedule and determining what you’ll do and when you’ll do it. Creating a structure for your day and setting yourself tasks to achieve will keep you working towards a goal and help break up your day.

4. Set up a designated workspace

Just because you aren’t in the office doesn’t mean you can’t make one at home. Rather than sitting hunched over your laptop all day, sinking further and further the sofa, dedicate a specific room or surface in your home especially for working. This could be the dining room table, the bar in your kitchen, or that Ikea desk in the spare room that has never been used. Setting a place that is consistently your ‘workspace’ will help you get into the right frame of mind.

5. Interact with people

Remember, you are working from home, not the moon. You are still allowed to interact with other people (taking the necessary precautions given the current situation), even if they are not your co-workers. It’s a good idea to see another face during the day when you are spending long periods of time sat at a desk on your own. Although meeting up with friends or family members may not be possible right now, there is nothing stopping you from picking up the phone on your break to see a friendly face. It will keep you sane.

6. Make it difficult for yourself to be distracted

This one is slightly harder. Social media is designed to make it easy for you to open and browse quickly. When you are trying to concentrate on your work, this can be the detriment of your productivity. Even if you don’t mean to, some uncontrollable impulse or force of habit may cause you to subconsciously click onto Facebook when you are experiencing down time. To counteract this distraction during your working hours, remove any social media apps or tabs from your browser shortcuts. If you want to be extra vigilant, log out of your accounts. This guarantee’s that you won’t be tempted to take too many social breaks during the day.

7. Take advantage of times you are feeling most productive

It is natural for your motivation to ebb and flow throughout the day. When working from home, it’s all the more important to know when these ebbs and flows are taking place and plan your work schedule around it. To capitalize on your most productive periods, save the more difficult tasks for when you work best. For many people, the most productive times of the day are the mornings. If this is the same for you, it is important to recognise that and plan your day accordingly.

8. Stay connected with technology

Working from home can make you feel segregated from your work colleagues. Luckily, instant messaging and video calling tools make it easy to check in with your co-workers and allow you to collaborate effectively on any joint projects. The apps and tools available for home-workers are part of what enables people to work from home so much more efficiently now.

9. Match your music

If you are used to listening to music at work, you may want to listen to some light background music when working from home. At the office you probably listen to a diverse playlist to suit everyone. One benefit of working remotely is that there is no one else to please with your music choice, so if you want to listen to S Club 7 on repeat, go ahead! However, we do recommend listening to music that matches the energy of the project you are working on, so ‘Don’t Stop Movin’’ might not always be the best choice.

10. Take clear breaks

Just because you are working from the same building you sleep in doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t take breaks. Rather than just opening YouTube or re-logging into your social media accounts, use your breaks to step away from your home office. Go for a walk outside or spend time with others who might also be in the house. Taking breaks, like making or eating lunch give you time to recharge so that you can produce better work.

So, you’re now prepared to work from home effectively, just as if you were in the office. Sticking to these tips will help you get the most out of remote working, and hopefully keep you sane along the way!