Productivity is a topic that comes up often in businesses. Business owners are constantly asking the question, “How can we help our employees to be more productive?” However, now 43% of employees work remotely and are not always in the office. This means that business owners are facing a new type of “productivity” that they no longer have full influence over since they can’t be there to motivate you. If you take the right steps, you can still be productive, if not more productive, whether you work traveling for an international business or just simply work from home.
1. Don’t Confine Yourself to One Area
When you’re working from home, a lot of the time you’ll want to confine yourself to the home office, close the doors, shut the blinds, and pretend that there are no distractions. For some, this might work. But for others, all this does is stunt creativity. And if you’re working from home, your job probably has something to do with creativity. If you confine yourself to one area, you will feel cramped and distracted. Instead, you need to realize that it’s okay to move around the home depending on the project you’re working on and the mood that you’re in. Some days, you might find that you work best while laying on the couch. Other days, you might do your best work sitting at the kitchen table. You should never feel obligated to work in one location in your home.
2. Take Advantage of “Productive Hours”
Some people focus better in the morning while others focus better in the late afternoons or evenings. The great thing about working from home is that you can pick your hours. You’re not confined to a specific time that you have to log in an log off (most of the time). This means that you’re free to choose when you work. If you’re a night person, work at night. If you focus better in the morning and you’re less distracted when you first wake up, arrange your work hours so that you can get everything completed in the morning. Working from home has a lot of benefits, so take advantage of them.
3. Get Rid of Mental Distractions
The issue of working from home is that there are a lot of mental distractions that you’ll come across. You’ll start to worry about bills, cleaning, and cooking. You’ll want to get everything else finished before you start working. Instead, work first. If it helps you to concentrate, think about getting a home warranty that will help you something does go wrong while you’re working. A lot of people appreciate knowing that they have something else watching over them as well. Once you’re done working, finish all of the other things that you had on your mind. For the moment, however, try to focus on work rather than the distractions.
4. Get Ready for the Day
Often, when you think about working from home, you imagine lounging all day in your pajamas, and comfy clothes. The problem is that this doesn’t get you in the right mindset. Instead, you should make an effort in the morning to actually get read as if you were heading off to work. Fix your hair, and get dressed. Drink your morning coffee and create a routine that gets you in the mood to work.
5. Create a Work Ambiance
The key to being productive at home is creating the right ambiance. You want to be comfortable, and productive at the same time. The best way to do this is to surround yourself with things that aren’t distracting but also bring you comfort. You might consider setting up a zen water fountain, or a vase of flowers.
Take advantage of your opportunity to work from home by being productive and comfortable at the same time. Most people find it helpful to their concentration when they know that the have everything in the home taken care of and they feel comfortable sitting down at the desk or table to work.
