It’s not until you start working from home that you realize how full of distractions your living space is. From noisy neighbors and attention-seeking pets to kids, family members, and your own wandering mind, your little corner of the world is a carnival of focus-draining traps.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, struggling with work-life balance or disliking your job, the following five tips should help you navigate your way to a more tranquil space in which your productivity can soar:
1. Change Your Backdrop
Sometimes home office problems need serviced office solutions. If your productivity issues are stemming from rambunctious kids, noisy housemates, a lack of space, or inadequate facilities, then a serviced office will offer the work-focused environment you need.
These spaces typically offer a COVID-safe, hygienic experience, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how affordable their packages can be.
2. Satisfy Your Social Cravings
You’d think all that alone time would boost your productivity. However, if you’re used to working in a team environment, solitude can have the reverse effect. You can lose sight of how your work (or lack thereof) impacts your teammates, and without the social side of things, office life can feel drab.
To counteract this, allocate a reasonable amount of time each day to communicating with your colleagues. You could even keep up the tradition of having your lunch breaks and happy hour drinks together via video chat.
Once the workday is through, be sure to spend some time catching up with friends as well. Whether you’re able to do this digitally or in real life, it will satisfy your need for social interaction and give you the energy to focus at work.
3. Structure Your Day
Remote working is still in its infancy for many companies. Old policies and procedures no longer apply and troubleshooting has to be done on the fly. In the midst of this chaos, the sense of structure employees are used to has been lost. If this describes your situation, it may be time for you to step up and take charge of your schedule.
Be sure to keep your manager and teammates in the loop as to what you’ll be working on and when. This will keep you accountable and make life easier for everyone.
4. Tweak Your Routines
Speaking of structure, your productivity will soar if you take the time to structure your pre and post-work routines as well. Healthy and enjoyable morning and evening routines create end-caps around your workday. This takes all the decision-making pressure off your brain and allows you to get into positive habits surrounding when work starts for the day and when it ends.
Your morning routine should be filled with your favorite self-care activities (think meditation, exercise, fresh air, and family time) and a healthy breakfast. In the evening, create a routine that allows you to comfortably wind back down into relaxation mode.
5. Find the Bright Side
Mindless positivity doesn’t do anyone any good. However, you can actively look for the upsides of any situation and capitalize on them to improve your mood. Boost your mental state in this way, and your productivity will follow.
In the home office, this could mean reinventing your workstation to improve your comfort. You could create a standing desk, sit on a yoga ball, or even spend the afternoons working from your back deck. You have full autonomy now, so capitalize on it in ways that make you happy to get stuck into your work.
Productivity isn’t easy when your comfy couch and favorite forms of entertainment are a few feet away. Follow the tips above to resist temptation and give your workday a boost.
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