Four tips to make working from home as productive as possible

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By Henry Brown

Due to Covid, it is now more common than ever for employees to work from home. In fact, the work-from-home life has become standard in most industries. However, while some individuals thrive in a work-from-home environment, there are others who struggle to stay at their most productive while not being in an office. There are many factors as to why some people struggle to remain productive, from home distractions of people and technology to simply not feeling motivated by their environment.

– Get your morning routine down. 

If you’re struggling with productivity, the first tip is to create a healthy morning routine. Many individuals struggle with waking up early enough to take time for themselves in the morning and instead will roll out of bed straight to sit at their desk at work. Sometimes employees don’t even leave their bed- something everyone can admit to being guilty of. It is underestimated how important a morning routine is until you don’t have one. Therefore, it can be helpful to go through the motions of your morning routine like you are going to work. Get out of bed at the same time you would usually if you were commuting. Have a shower, get dressed, brush your teeth. All of this will make you feel more put together and put you in a more productive mindset than logging on to work straight away.

– Structure your day

One thing working from home can lack is structure. You can take breaks when you want to, or in some cases, take no breaks. There is no one watching what you are doing. It can be worth setting some goals at the start of the day and slowly making your way through them to ensure you stay on task. Equally, set out the times of your breaks throughout the day to avoid falling into a slump that can set you back. Set out what you plan on doing at lunchtime, too. A simple thing like a ten-minute walk in the fresh air can make you feel ten times more productive in the long run. Furthermore, structuring in fresh air is vital when you don’t even commute as, without it, you will stay in all day, making you feel pretty cooped up.

– Designate a workspace 

Keeping your work/life balance separate can be difficult when you work and live in the same space. To get a similar feeling of a office space, if that’s the most productive environment, make sure you only work at your desk or kitchen table. Also, try and pick an area that is as stress-free as possible. Therefore, when you ‘step in’ to your office, you can get the same feeling of being in an office space and hopefully feel more productive because of it.

– Video-chat with colleagues

Once again, if the office feel is the thing that makes your work thrive, why not try re-creating it by video chatting with a colleague or a friend that is also working from home? You could bounce ideas off each other and discuss collaborative projects. For example, if you work in web design, you could work together over facetime while talking about the project mirroring being in the office.

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Henry Brown is an online marketing executive. When he isn’t talking shop, he’s roaming the streets of London, uncovering the extra-ordinary in the ordinary.

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