How to Work from Home Effectively

Working from home can be a blessing and a curse. Some people work better out of the comfort of their own home while others struggle to find the self-discipline and self-motivation that comes with the territory. If you fall into the latter, you are not alone. Whether working from home is by choice or not, the situation at hand is how you can maximize your work productivity remotely, outside the normal office setting. Here are some key tricks to work from home effectively that will get you well on your way to getting the job done.

Set Priorities Each Day

With so much freedom that comes with working from home, it’s important to not lose focus on the task at hand. Each day before you start grinding away, set priorities on what you want to accomplish and list them in the order of when they need to get done. By jotting it down or keeping this list in front of you, you’ll gain a better sense of time management instead of aimlessly picking and choosing which tasks you want to work on whenever the mood strikes you.

Get Face-to-Face Interaction with Coworkers

Just because you’re not surrounded by colleagues in-person, you can still get face-to-face interactions with them through today’s advancing technology platforms. Schedule regular video conference calls with coworkers so that you can better work collectively on team projects and initiatives. If you travel for work and your “home” tends to change quite often, invest in service plans that offer the best network connectivity. Keep a look out for 5g wireless technology which is coming our way. This is the fastest network connection that will be available to the public, and could help facilitate non-stop connection at lightning speed so video-streaming calls and mobile emailing never gets disconnected.

Define Work Hours

Although you may be tempted to just get up whenever you choose and work whenever you please, this may not be the most effective way to actually work from home. When you define work hours, you hold yourself accountable for when you are available to work with your team, your clients and yourself. Setting a schedule will allow you to get into work mode quicker, instead of leisurely getting the job done on your own accord.

Create a Comfortable Office

The perks of being able to work from home mean you’re not stuck in a cubicle or bumping elbows with a desk buddy. This is your chance to create your own comfort zone for work. Designate an area of your house as a work space—this means, somewhere away from distractions like the kitchen or the television. Be sure to get a solid desk and filing cabinets as well as a comfortable chair. Treat this space as your mecca to work effectively and easily.

Make Outside Appointments Outside Work Hours

Working from home makes it a lot more convenient to take care of life outside of work. That being said, try not to schedule those doctor’s appointments or haircuts during your designated work hours. This can put a dent in your day and trying to get back into a working state of mind after you’ve been out running errands can be quite the challenge. Instead, schedule these appointments first thing in the morning, before you start to work, or towards the end of your day when most of your tasks have been completed.

Act Like You’re Going to an Actual Office Building

Working from home and working in the office shouldn’t change your ability to produce. If it helps you take working from home more seriously, pretend you are going to an actual corporate setting. So, if that means dressing up a bit and not doing work in your pajamas, do it. Act as if you’re in a business meeting to get into work mentality. It’ll keep you sharp and buttoned up when you need to get the job executed. You want to be professional even if it’s from home—play the part and the rest will follow.

It’s not an easy job to work from home. But if you take control of your self-discipline and form habits that’ll maximize productivity, you can conquer the challenge. Once you’ve got all your ducks in a row, you’ll be one step closer to mastering the coveted skill of working from home.