When you first started work from home, you probably felt great. There were no distractions from coworkers, and your productivity skyrocketed. But if you’re like most remote workers, the dynamics probably changed over time.
There are several obstacles that make working from home more difficult than it seems at first, and it actually requires a lot of discipline to make sure you’re staying at the top of your game when you’re not in an office.
Comfortable Home Office
Here are a few home office must-haves to keep you on track when working from your house. First things first, a comfy, stylish chair is a must. If you’re going to be sitting at your desk for long periods, you may as well feel like a king or queen. Keep everything organized and in arms reach with desk organizers.
Keep Your Goals in Mind
When you’re lacking the motivation to put your bossy pants on, just keep your eye on the prize. What are you working for? More importantly, how are other people derailing it? By focusing on your end goal and those lofty dreams, you’ll find more motivation to dig down deep and set them on the right path.
Declutter your Workspace
Even if you are anti-minimalist, you should declutter. You can still keep plenty of stuff around – we’re defining clutter here as distracting material, including mess. Nothing is worse for your mental state than living and operating in a mess. Expect lethargy and crankiness and a particular level of apathy towards your state of affairs.
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Anything you don’t use on a daily basis should be put away, and anything you don’t use should be thrown straight in the bin. That said, if you’re not averse to minimalism, then you should take decluttering to the extreme and keep only the bare essentials around your workspace.
Set Concrete Expectations for Those Around You
You’re much less likely to run into issues with those around you if all expectations are clearly outlined and communicated. There’s no arguing with an expectation that has been clearly communicated. If they continue to ignore your requests or trample over your wishes, that could make for some pretty easy decisions for you.
Stick to a Routine
Finally, you no longer have to wake up at 6 a.m. to ensure that you get to the office by 9 a.m. However, that doesn’t mean you should totally throw a wrench in the idea of working 9 to 5. You should still consider the work week seriously and set up work from home office times for yourself.
If you’re hungry go take a break from your laptop. Make a quick meal, play with your pet and maybe check on your children. After that, be back at desk, depending on what else you have left to work on for the afternoon.
Say No to Distractions
If you have the pleasure of having your home to yourself during the day, then you’re pretty lucky. I know, it’s a privilege to have your own room for work. I totally understand that many people don’t have an extra room to convert into their workspace. But you should set up in a room with a door rather than the kitchen table or living room.
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Otherwise, it will be easy for anyone to run through and interrupt you. If you don’t have the option to work behind closed doors, then be sure to let everyone who is home know that you’re working and shouldn’t be interrupted for a couple of hours. Put on the noise-canceling headphones if you have to.
Use a Planner
Use a daily planner to keep track of everything, and use it together with your digital calendar. If it’s not in your planner, then it doesn’t exist. Even if you hate using pen and paper, then at least having a daily checklist on your phone and laptop can make a huge difference. You can also use apps and programs to keep track of your tasks and set up due dates. The important thing here is that you find something that works for you.
Schedule for the Week, Not the Day
Schedule everything important ahead of time to prepare yourself for the workload rather than wake up Friday and realize nothing important was accomplished. You can always go back and change things, or add to daily task lists. But you should sit down and do this. That way, when you wake up, you’re not wasting time trying to figure out your to-do list. You can get straight to work. And every evening before signing off, you can update your task lists as well. Planning ahead will save you so much time and worry.
Communication is Part of Your Job
It’s important to stay in contact with your coworkers throughout the day. You should have a way of staying in touch with everyone. You may even want to consider sending your boss a sign-off email. Communicating directly with virtual colleagues and bosses will do wonders when you work from home.
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Get Out and Socialize Often
You can be inspired when working from home by leaving your home office once in a while! You’ll either benefit from getting out of the house to de-stress or meet some friends for some chat time. Most of the people who work from home forget to leave the home for days together. Make sure there is at least a first time in a week you get out. Although, it may seem counterproductive, it is a great way to refresh yourself and stay inspired while you work from home.
Do you know any other ways on how to stay inspired when you work from home? Comment them on Trdinoo for others to learn. Please subscribe and share us with your friends and networks.
