In the world today it has become clear that more and more of us are working from home. And its might be staying around longer than we think and depending on your job this might be the new normal to a “9-5 desk job”
It can be a struggle for some to get used to an at-home working environment, it’s an even bigger challenge for them to stay productive. Whether you work for yourself or someone else, there are various ways in which you can create a workplace that feels more welcoming, comfortable, and efficient.
Even if you are working in an office and not at home these techniques could benefit you as well. Keep in mind the more productive and successful you are at your job, each little improvement made will have a positive impact on the business overall. Whether you are the owner of your own business or an employee of a company we want you to start considering the future direction of the business and where you would like to be with the industry. We recommend speaking to one of the leading experts in the field of all business-related purposes in terms of receiving a business valuation. A business valuation is a process of determining the true value of your business and any external factors that come into play that may give you an insight into the position of your business in terms of future potential or loss.
This article will give you an insight into a few techniques you can use to help create a work-from-home environment that best suits you and in turn will boost your workday productivity.
Schedule your Day
Depending on your starting time, it’s best to schedule times for breaks, meals, or personal time. By creating a schedule, it will give you an insight into what you require to complete for each task with a fresh mindset and in turn will give you the necessary downtime.
Something as simple as getting fully dressed for the day ahead as you would if you were heading to the office, they say certain clothes can help us shift gears or mindsets or even help us prepare for certain activities.
Accounting for every hour in terms of work time is essential in terms of realising the amount of work you complete in a certain amount of time, a timer can be helpful in this way, a particular method that has been used in various situations and best utilised whether you are working from home or in the office. This method is known as the Pomodoro Method: The secret to effective time management, its biggest strength is its simplicity!
Here’s how it done:
- Get a to-do list and a timer.
- Set your timer for 25 minutes and focus on a single task until the timer rings.
- When your session ends, mark off one pomodoro task and record what you completed.
- Then enjoy a five-minute break.
- After four Pomodoro’s, take a longer, more restorative 15–30-minute break.
Depending on your type of work you do throughout the day, for this method to be effective there are three key rules to consider:
- Break Down Complex Projects. Dividing a larger task into smaller steps would be more achievable in the time frameset. always stick to each individual task to ensure you make clear progress on your projects.
- Small tasks go together. simple tasks that would take less than the set time you have created should be combined. For example, “pay the rent,” “set vet appointment,” and “proofread an article” could go together in one session.
- Once a pomodoro is set, it must ring. The pomodoro is an indivisible unit of time and cannot be broken, especially not to check incoming emails, team chats, or text messages. Make note of anything that comes up during that time to refer to later.
Designated Workspace
When working from home, it’s important to have a space dedicated solely for your work, a place in the house that is organised, free from clutter and distractions and of course inviting.
This is your own personal space, your sanctuary. A space that is well lit has fresh air coming in and is spacious enough that you don’t feel like you’re shoved into a corner all day. Eliminate any distractions for the area, for example, the tv, phone and family members or pets that may linger around. If possible, having a workspace separate from the house that is frequently used or may cause distraction throughout the day.
Offices have been purposely designed with productivity in mind, while your house is designed for leisure and relaxation. Take the time and effort into creating a space that will best accommodate your work needs. A simple way in which you create an accommodating work space would be the chair that you use. The chair at the office serves a very different function from the couch that you use to relax on.
Your desk should be functional in terms of access to all your supplies, coffee mug, water bottle, notebook and pen(s), mouse pad with wrist support, these little additions will help you focus on the tasks at hand rather than getting distracted in trying to find what you need to complete a task. Organisation is key when it comes to any form of work, labelling folders, having storage for all documentation, access to electronics and office supplies set up appropriately
Do your research to give you a better understanding of the basics of a good office design and incorporate them into your at-home workspace.
Take a Break
Taking a break is essential in boosting productivity, it helps you feel refreshed and ready to return to the tasks at hand with more energy and creativity. Small breaks can make all the difference in completing a task more quickly and efficiently. Staring at your desktop all day will result in not completing the task to its full potential due to boredom or exhaustion, a person can only go so long until a break is needed.
Regular short interval breaks can also keep the feeling of frustration at bay. Make sure you take care of yourself while working from home because this is a time where it can be easy to lose yourself and get frustrated with the lack of structure that you are used to at the office.
Taking a break will not only help you stay more productive, but it will also make your workday feel less tedious in general!
Lastly, Unplugging from work at the end of the day, two simple tricks:
- Turning off your computer and doing a ritual like brewing tea or stretching to take in the final moments of the day
- Scheduling reminders on your phone for what you plan to do tomorrow so that it serves as a gentle reminder that work needs to be done.
Ultimately, find out what works best for you! Remember self-care is important when working from home because this could be where people lose themselves most easily. Be mindful of how long you are at work each day; make sure not to overwork yourself but also don’t keep checking your inbox thinking “I should really get back into it!
As mentioned, prior whether you are the owner of your own business or an employee of a company your work potential is an important part in the production of a successfully running business. This in turn will determine the future potential or loss of the business. Again, speaking with an expert business valuer will help give you an insight into the value of your business and what factors you would need to consider for the business to succeed.
Author bio
Paul Gardner – LinkedIn Profile
Paul Gardner is an expert Senior Valuer specialising in residential and commercial property valuations for a range of purposes. His expert knowledge in valuation services has led him to undertake services for the state government as well as large scale, complex industrial properties. Paul also has an extensive background in real estate and has taken part in contributing to curriculum structures of property related courses. Paul loves sharing his
