How to Work From Home and be productive

Here are tips on how to work from home and be productive.

Many of you have been allowed to work from home for the first time. It is something new and perhaps uncomfortable, so here are some tips & benefits to consider as you get started.

One benefit is that it will eliminate the commute; now, you can turn that into work time. Also, there is the benefit of no longer having “office distractions” like chit-chat by the coffee machine or last-minute birthday celebrations. The new distractions are now your home, children, and spouse! Keep reading for some tips on how to handle this new challenge.

Another benefit is now you are free to grab a bite out of your fridge and not waste time and money going out to eat. There is freedom and flexibility if you manage these new circumstances correctly.

There is better control of your schedule and the opportunity to handle personal things on your breaks. You can become more efficient at work and home with some planning.

Distractions Working at Home

Distractions will occur in any environment and are managed by setting appropriate boundaries. It is important to eliminate distractions as much as possible.

When you work at home, you blend work and personal environments into one space. The dishwasher breaks, the neighbor stops by, the kids want something, and the spouse needs a quick favor. The list is a long list of potential distractions that will occur.

The opposite is true, as distractions can also disrupt your personal life during non-working time. Let’s say you are spending time with the family, and you see an email on your laptop or phone, and you find yourself tempted to “get back to work” during your free time.

Distractions can cause problems if you don’t control your time!

Below we will go over some work-from-home tips and cover the need to set healthy boundaries to avoid and manage distractions to be happy and productive.

Work from Home Tips

Make a To-Do List

Making a to-do list should be at the top of your list of things to do daily. Write out a list of things you have to do today, then a list of things you need to get started to complete later. Highlight and focus on the tasks that will move you towards your goals and make the most impact on achieving results.

Mark tasks off your list as you complete them, which will help you feel productive and motivated to tackle more jobs throughout the day.

Next, let’s talk about my favorite place to keep my list and why you should do the same.

Use a Planner

I highly recommend using a daily planner if you work at home or in an office. A planner will allow you to schedule out every moment of your day down to the minute if necessary. Find a planner that helps you to make a list, and then write it down at the specific time you want to work on it.

Writing out your schedule in a planner will help you eliminate and manage distractions throughout your day.

Find a place on your planner to write out your goals every day. Long-term and short-term goals should be written down and looked at daily to help you focus on what matters most. There is something about writing plans down that helps get it done.

Get Started Early

Dive into your to-do list and knock out some easy tasks right away. Your first break can be to eat breakfast. This approach works incredibly well if you are a morning person. There is nothing like eating pancakes and reflecting on what you have already accomplished to start the day! You no longer have a commute, so you can wake up, grab a cup of coffee, and get started.

Another good habit is to get dressed before you work. Nice clothing affects how you feel and act if you are on the phone with customers or clients.

Set Up a Dedicated Work Space

You will feel more productive and organized if you have a dedicated workspace in your home. It does not have to be a whole room or anything like that, but you need a dedicated desk and place to work.

With technology, it is easy to eliminate the file cabinets and go paperless if you want to. With electronic files, hard drives, and OneNote, you can do almost everything on your computer and phone.

Eliminate Distractions

Clarity can eliminate distractions by determining what is essential. Make a plan to focus on what is important and make everything else wait until later. Real emergencies will need to take care of minor distractions are not necessary, so make sure you understand the difference between them.

Take control of your schedule! Turn off your phone if you need to work on a project for an hour. Don’t answer your phone for a set time if you need to focus on a task or face-to-face meeting. Close your door and work in private for a specified time if you are up against a deadline.

Everything I am suggesting falls into a healthy practice of setting professional and personal boundaries with your time and energy.

Distractions will never go away, but you can certainly show them their place and stay productive throughout the day.

I already mentioned it, but I will say again, please fill up every moment on your calendar and focus on taking action. We do not realize how much time we waste throughout the day until we write it down and see for ourselves how much time we have.

Stay Connected to Team Members

Working at home requires concentrated effort in staying connected with your team. An email covers the message, but a phone call focuses on the goals, creates teamwork, and solves problems. Be intentional in your communication. Pick up the phone and call coworkers, bosses, clients, and customers daily.

With technology, there is no reason not to have face-to-face video conferences and share your screen when necessary. Just do it and stay connected.

Get Out of the Home Office

Just like in a traditional office, the walls can close in on you at home. Be intentional about mixing up your workspace. Work at a Starbucks for an hour or two. Find an outside workspace to do some work when the weather permits. Any place with WiFi and a good atmosphere is a great place to work.

Meet coworkers, clients, and customers for lunch meetings and mix it up as much as possible. Great ideas seldom occur at your desk, so take a long walk and think about a specific goal or vision to grow your business.

**If you are reading this during the Corona Virus challenge, then Starbucks and restaurants will have to wait. ** Stay home when necessary!!

Enjoy the Flexibility

I mentioned freedom at the beginning of this post, and with that comes flexibility. Could you take advantage of it and enjoy it? If you can catch your daughter’s soccer game in the afternoon and work late that evening, I say do it! We are all more productive when we are focused, hustling and flexible.

There is no excuse to be lazy. Of course, be flexible in your pursuit of making things happen and stay active.

Stick to a Schedule

Scheduling is worth repeating as well as sticking to a schedule! Yes, be flexible but be disciplined at the same time! Make sense? Your plan keeps you accountable and productive, and your flexibility helps you enjoy the process. Enough said here.

Focus because Success is Your Responsibility.

No matter where you work, focus on what is essential and make it happen this year!

Here are some additional bonuses for working at home

Save wear and tear on your vehicle.
Save money on gas and eating out.
Your kids can learn from your work habits
You don’t need as many dress clothes.
Scheduling time for doctor appointments is easier.
Preparing healthier food at home is good for your health.
You have less stress not sitting in rush hour traffic.
Run a load of laundry and work at the same time being more productive.
You have fewer office politics to encounter.
Less worthless meetings. (you will still get sucked into useless conference calls)
You have the freedom to play the music you like to listen to while working.
Having your children help with small tasks will help them learn and help you get something done.
You are picking an ideal finishing time each day and being home for family meals!
You can keep the TV in the background if important national news is on.
You can decorate your office space to your liking.
Have a closet full of clothes ready if you need to change for an unexpected meeting.
Knowing you will be home for important deliveries. (business and personal)
Forgetting something at the office is just down the hallway from where you live!

My Final Tip if You Work From Home

Self-Motivation

It will be tempting to start work late or watch one show on Netflix during your “break,” knowing the boss won’t see you. Being undisciplined is a slippery slope, and you must avoid these bad habits.

Make a plan to stay self-motivated with these tips.

Don’t work at home if you are not naturally motivated by what you do.
Make a list with due dates and hold yourself accountable to finish everything on time.
Find someone at work which is serious about their job and connect with them on the phone once or weekly.
Read motivational books and stories that inspire you.
Check off your accomplishments so you can see what you have done. It is motivating.
Call your boss and proactively check in to see if you are on track.
10X your efforts and do ten times what you think you should be doing.
Visit an office and remind yourself how good you have it working from home.
Show gratefulness by working hard. Remind yourself how blessed you are to work at home.
View your home office as your own business. If you own your business or work for someone else, make sure you take ownership either way!

Be motivated to improve.

How can I make my workspace productive?
Do I have a space where I do my best thinking?
Am I set up to do everything required of me?
How can I get even more organized?
How can I get more productive with my time?
Who can I call for advice right now?
Where is my opportunity to improve today?
Am I using my time wisely at work and home?
How can my communication improve?
Am I a great leader from my home office?
Can I motivate my teammates to work better out of their homes?
Who has my money? How do I earn more today?

Great solutions come from asking great questions. Take the time to think things through and then follow through on them with massive amounts of action. It is your responsibility to be successful.

If you work from home, be thankful and fully dedicated to making it the best place you have ever worked.

To Your Success!