Productivity Tips: Working From Home

Working from home has many benefits. But sometimes, it can be hard to stay productive and motivated when you are working remotely. Whether you are studying for a big exam or working full time from your desk or the kitchen table, here are some of StudyStream’s best tips on how to stay free from distractions and work successfully from home.

Stay connected

Working from home can sometimes feel isolating. You must maintain a connection with your team through apps and email to maintain that conversation. Loneliness has a significant impact on our work. Research has shown that loneliness while working can result in emotional withdrawal, which can deteriorate health, wellbeing, and work performance.

Have a clutter-free space

A messy desk will create a messy mind. Removing the clutter from your workspace will help you feel happier and more productive. There is scientific evidence that shows that our environment directly impacts our thinking, emotions, and behaviors. So if you have a messy and unorganized space, you are more likely to feel unmotivated, get more distracted, and do less work.

Mute your notifications

It’s hard to get through your long to-do list if you are constantly being interrupted by work email and app pings. If you want to have some focused time, turn off your notifications for a while. Or just let your team know that you are having some distraction-free time. Overloading your brain with incoming messages and trying to find solutions to problems and doing your work at the same time can result in poor choices regarding your productivity and cause you to lose focus and not do your tasks to the best of your ability.

Set your boundaries

It’s also important to set your boundaries and know where work ends and relaxing begins. You should always have a separate space for your work and another space for your relaxation. Find ways to disconnect from work when you end your working hours, unplug and spend time with the people you love, read a book, listen to music, or do something that you are passionate about. You should have this work-life balance to successfully work from home.

Get dressed

As tempting as it is to sit at your laptop in pajama pants all day, doing this will set the wrong tone for work. You should get up in the morning, make your bed, have some breakfast, and get dressed, just like you would if you were going to leave your home and go to the office. Don’t confuse your relaxation time with your work time. You don’t have to sit in work clothes, wear something comfortable and practical for sitting in for most of the day and will still be deemed appropriate for online meetings.

Take a break and get some sunshine

Staying chained to your desk all day isn’t healthy. So make it essential that you step outside, even for a few minutes a day to get some fresh air and sunshine. Even if the weather is bad, a little walk nearby will keep you feeling refreshed and energized for the rest of the day. Fluorescent lighting in offices and artificial light in our homes don’t give us the boost of Vitamin D that we need regularly. Even during the winter months, try to get outside as much as you can.

Plan to be productive

Writing a plan out at the end of your work day for the next one is a great way to stay motivated and know exactly what you need to do when you first sit at your desk in the morning. Plan to be productive and you are more likely to be productive. It doesn’t have to be a lengthy and well-thought-out plan, it could simply be a colorful post-it note on your computer to see the next day. Be proactive and look for new ways to organize your time effectively. Working from home can be the same as working in an office, but you have to be disciplined and have the right workspace, the right attitude, and the right tools to make it a success.