The key to working from home is to create an environment that allows you to focus on the tasks at hand. Whether you’re working from home for the first time or not, here are some tips for creating a productive workplace at home.
- Maintain your workday routine. Go through the same process as if you were going into the office. Sticking to the routine puts you in “business mode” and reinforces that you may be at home, but today is work.
- Get dressed for work. You may have read this elsewhere and side-eyed it, but changing out of PJ’s does put us into a different, more proactive frame of mind. There is no need to dress in formal work wear. Casual comfort is fine, as long as it is appropriate for the video conference.
- Create a dedicated workspace. Physical boundaries help both you and family members separate work and home. If you have the luxury of a separate space, you can step into, and close the door. Otherwise, cordon off a section of the room and use headphones to indicate when you are at work and when you have a break to be available to others in the house.
- Set and keep office hours. Maintain a workday routine. Stay on task by creating a work schedule and sticking to it the best you can. Sticking to the routine puts you in “business mode” and reinforces that you may be home but you are working.
- Take breaks and stay active. It is good to get up and walk around, especially in the afternoon. However, do not take too many breaks throughout the day – stay in work rhythm. Maintain your discipline by adjusting your exercise routine to the new reality. Take advantage of the access to the outdoors that you may not have while at the office.
- Stay closely connected to your team. More connected workers are more productive. Most work involves collaboration, and when you are not in the same physical place, you must be intentional about staying in touch. Connectivity is easier than ever with cloud computing. Stay in touch, be responsive, and remain engaged.
- Maintain a professional atmosphere. Daytime television, barking dogs, and playing children will rob you of productivity. Maintain a professional demeanor and practice. Have a filing system, observe confidentiality rules, and shred sensitive documents. If you “do the little things”, it will establish a pattern of productivity. As it has often been said – where you lack discipline, add structure.
- Skip the chores. Sorry spouses. It is easy to throw in a load of laundry, but do not try to vacuum or multitask with housework too much. Your work and home lives are about to get hopelessly tangled so try to keep them separate and stay on task. In addition, time any errands you many need to run as if you need to be back in the office in 45 minutes.
- Make good food choices. With the abundance of shelf-stable snacks you may have stocked up on, mindless snacking is all too easy. Preparing a meal also provides a bit of a mental break and, if you are working in a full house, a fun family activity that you would rarely get to enjoy otherwise.
- Log off when you are done. Working remotely does not mean that you are always at work. The line between work and personal life blurs more than ever when you work from home. At the end of the workday — log-off and “go home” even if home is just a few steps away.