These days there are many different ways of working and thousands of different workplaces, all with their own policies and ways of doing things. An increasing number of workplaces now offer flexible working hours and often this includes the opportunity to work from home.
In the past I’ve been lucky enough to have had the privilege of working from home, it suited me pretty well but I appreciate that it’s not for everyone. But for those of you that have an opportunity to do so here are my top tips on how to make the most of your time.
Work as you would in an office // When you’re working from home it’s incredibly easy to treat it like an extension of your weekend, to have a lie in and to not even bother getting dressed but in all honesty it’s going to do nothing for your productivity. The solution is pretty simple, just treat your working day as one that is slogged away in the office and get yourself in to that office mindset. Start by getting up at roughly the same time as you usually would, half hour here or there won’t go make a huge difference but set yourself for a decent time and stick to it. Then have breakfast, get dressed and organise your essentials in the same way as if you’re just about to jump in your car. A lot of the time productivity is intrinsically linked to mindset, get in the right frame of mind and you won’t go far wrong.
Plan your time // When I was working from home I had a strict routine that I liked to stick too, a schedule that ensured I managed my time effectively and made the most of my strengths. I tend to be more creative in the morning and last thing in the afternoon, so I purposely schedule any writing tasks for during those time slots. Every minute of my time was accounted for and I even had a hour for communications- social media, emails and the like. For some people this might seem a little bit too rigid but when you are surrounded by a million different potential distractions it’s important that you focus. My routine always included a section for planning my goals and every morning I would sit down, list my goals and create my to do list for the day. I always found that doing this greatly enhanced my productivity and focus, it’s a lot easier to get things done when you know what needs to be done and when.
Snacks // When I first started working from home one of my biggest failings was my snacking and I often found myself reaching for a mid morning biscuit. After a while I started to realise the triggers, I wanted something easy and I wanted something quick. In the office you wouldn’t have the same access to nasty junk food, so I made myself a commitment to tackle this temptation because it wasn’t helping my health or time management. I needed to find a way to counter both of my triggers and after a short time I definitely found the solution. Each morning I prepared a number of snacks for the day, chopped vegetables, a tasty smoothy or a fruit salad and placed them in the fridge ready for when I wanted them. This meant that I was far less likely to opt for a sugary snack because they were ready, instant and damn tasty.
Organise your workplace // A cluttered space makes for a cluttered mind and for me this has always been the case. As someone that suffers from a pinch of OCD and claustrophobia, a cluttered desk always made my mind feel a bit busy and this mindset ensured that my productivity for the day would be a fat zero. Every weekend I would blitz clean my room, putting everything where it belonged and every day I would make sure that I put everything away after me. It kept my desk clutter free, organised and practical and as a result my mind soon followed suit.
Have you ever worked from home and if so what tips would you offer?
xoxoxoxxoxoxo
Ohkay-DohKay 