In the current scenario, there are more people working from home than ever before and this situation is not confined to a particular industry, country, or region but can be witnessed among all the sectors in any part of the world. Remote working productivity is a matter of great importance now, for almost every organization and professional.
Though the pandemic expedited the work from the home economy and created more opportunities than ever before, it is not solely responsible for the increase. Over the last few years the number of people working from home has gone up manifolds and there are many work from home jobs and business ideas that can make more money than one can think of.
Moreover, many organizations are using telecommuting as an incentive to the employees while saving a massive amount of overhead costs. Whether you agree to it or not, work from the home economy is booming and will flourish more in the future.
However, working from home is not as easy and as comfortable as it seems, it definitely requires a lot of patience, hard work, and dedication. There are so many distractions at home that you need to avoid to be committed to your work, and this is the only way to increase remote working productivity and have a work-life balance.
This article will discuss the top 10 tips that will help you to increase productivity while working from home, or working remotely from anywhere else.
1- Start with Scheduling
Scheduling your day helps to keep you focussed when you are working remotely. Some people commit the mistake of working for too long without taking short breaks which leads to boredom and monotony.
To boost your remote working productivity it’s advised that you take multiple short breaks after working for a prolonged period of time. A schedule helps you avoid burnouts and re-energize as needed.
Ideally, you should plan your day in advance as it will help you to prioritize and also review your tasks.
2- Organize & Set Priorities
An organized setting around you will keep you motivated and also focussed. You must have only necessary gadgets within your reach and the workplace should be quiet and peaceful.
Small things like plants and notepads will make the setting look neat and clean besides it also looks very professional on the online calls that you are going to attend.
Other than just organizing physical stuff around, make sure to organize your tasks too, i.e. prioritize the most important and urgent tasks, keep notes for the important yet not urgent tasks and delete the not important ones.
3- Announce Your Schedule
You might not have experienced announcing your schedule while working from an in-office set up, as it already has very few distractions as compared to home. But when you are working from home, the announcement is crucial.
Your family and friends as well as your colleagues should know the time that you are at work. Sharing your schedule with your friends and family is a great way for them to understand that you are working and they are less likely to interrupt.
Similarly, your colleagues will know that you are having a family or leisure time and will not bother you unless it’s critical to work.
4- Dress Professionally
Before you start hitting for work at your home office you need to dress up for work. This will not only help in looking professional but also will enhance your mental alertness.
This is one of the best ways to boost remote working productivity while working from home and of course, no one wants to see you in pyjamas during an important meeting.
5- Avoid Activities that Consume Time
You must avoid time consuming activities during the scheduled work hours. Things like social networking sites, reviewing accounts, and checking personal emails are some tasks that can be avoided while you are on the job.
These distractions may seem small but collectively can end up consuming a lot of your time.
6- Set SMART Goals
You should have a clear sight of what you tend to accomplish in a day. If you have set clear goals, it will help you to focus on them each day. A SMART goal is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound.
With goals in place you will be able to assess where you are leading or lagging behind. This way you can also prioritize work that requires your urgent attention and work that can be put off to be done later.
7- Eat, Sleep & Drink Properly
Food & sleep are important parts of our daily lives. If you are healthy and fit, you will automatically be alert and active. When you are working from home you should be hydrated and also at the same time ensure that you are having proper meals in apt quantities.
Also, one should avoid heavy use of caffeine as it affects health in a negative way. Similarly, adequate sleep is important especially for those who work from home during the night-time.
8- Socialize as Often as You Can
Perhaps the biggest drawback of working from home is that there is absolutely no or minimal human contact. To counter this you need to take some measures that will help in keeping the work from home concept interesting.
At times you should try working from a different environment like a coffee shop or a park where the ambiance is serene and peaceful and there aren’t any distractions. This way you will help to maintain the much required human interaction.
9- Know Your Time Boundaries
Once you have set the deadline to stop work, you should abide by it. You should know exactly when to stop. Many times professionals stretch their working hours only to get entangled in work that involves more time.
It’s not healthy for you as well as the business as you will not be able to fully concentrate due to prolonged working hours.
10- Keep Adequate Resources
You need resources to boost productivity when you are working from home. A good internet connection and a computer system is a basic requirement. Depending on work you may require additional resources too.
Having everything required for your work handy will help you to save a lot of time at work.
The Bottom Line
There is no match to working from home. It gives you the ability to work around things that are happening in your daily life. There are many benefits of working from home but only if you are able to master the ways that will help you to manage your time effectively and maintain remote working productivity.
