Working from home and being your own boss sounds like a dream job, and it certainly has its perks. You choose your working hours, the amount of work to cover per day, and vacation can be planned whenever you feel like it without asking for anyone’s approval.
Although this sounds like it’s all sunshine and rainbows, it can easily take a wrong turn and lead you down the rabbit hole of laziness and procrastination. To prevent that from happening, we’ve come up with a list of tips and tricks to help you stay on the right track when working from home.
Find Motivation
When you don’t have anyone breathing down your neck, it might be more difficult to motivate yourself and finish work on time. If you know that procrastination is one of your flaws, find a way to make yourself work by setting a goal and rewarding yourself for getting the job done. It can be anything, from buying one of those luxurious German watches from Sinn to a weekend in your favourite spa centre, as long as it makes you hustle.
Create a Schedule and Stick to It
Regardless of the type of work you do, making a good schedule is crucial if you want to stay productive at home. It is important to make a list of all the tasks you should complete for the day and set a time limit for accomplishing them. However, bear in mind that no one can work effectively for eight or more hours, so make sure to make lunch and coffee breaks a part of your routine as well.
This is one of the best ways to work from home productively amd have a routine that works for you.
Create a Dedicated Work Area
Yes, working from home does mean that you are allowed to stay in your pyjamas and work from your bed. Yet, no matter how convenient that is, it might not be the best option as you can easily fall asleep again. That’s why you should choose a spot in your house that you’ll treat like your office.
The best solution is your computer desk, but in case you don’t have one, any similar surface and an adequate chair will do. Keep the desk tidy and place only your work-related items on it to avoid any unnecessary distractions. This will awaken the feeling of being in an actual office and help you stay focused on your work.
Block Social Media
I cannot stress enough how important this is. It’s no secret that even a glance at an Instagram story or a Facebook post can mess up with your focus and cost you hours of unfinished work. If you can’t resist taking a look at your phone every now and then, use some of the apps for blocking social media platforms for several hours. You can adjust all the settings, thus making sure that nothing gets your attention except your job during the working hours.
Work When You’re Most Productive
When you’re working for someone else, you need to respect working hours set by them. But, when you are the one in charge of the organisation, get the most out of it by working when you’re most productive.
Some people work best in the morning, while others perform better in the afternoon or even at night. As you know yourself better than anyone, it will be easy to get the best results since you have a chance to work whenever you’re in the best mood for it.
