Tips to Stay Productive in Your Home Office
Do you have a hard time staying productive when you are working from home? You aren’t alone! The truth is that working from home can be challenging. Dealing with distractions, household responsibilities, and trying to still get work done by your deadlines is not an easy feat. However, with some changes to your routine it’s possible to boost your productivity levels. Here are some office organizing tips from your NYC Professional Office Organizer to get you started.
Define Your Spaces
Though it is tempting to sit down on the couch with your laptop and do some work while you catch up on your favorite TV show, it’s not practical or productive. Create a space that is dedicated to working, so that when you enter that space, your mind shifts into work mode. Create a schedule that works for you. One of the benefits of working from home can be the freedom to schedule your time in a way that works for you. Figure out the time of day that you are most efficient and creative and then set your schedule around that timeframe. When you are working during your personal peak energy time, your productivity will skyrocket!
Set Boundaries
Start by talking with your family about your work hours and set expectations. Often friends and family will think that because you work from home, you are available for phone calls, lunches, and visits. Occasionally these are wonderful breaks from work. However, they can quickly become distractions. Don’t be afraid to send a call to voicemail or to kindly tell friends that you are unavailable.
Limit Social Media
Staying productive while working from home requires self-management, and that includes being mindful of how much time you spend on social media. You can quickly fall down the rabbit hole and find yourself mindlessly scrolling through your favorite social media channel. Stay productive by scheduling time to check social media. When that time is up, put your phone away and get back to work.
Take Breaks
Just because you are no longer clocking hours in an office doesn’t mean that you suddenly no longer need to take breaks. Taking 15 minutes to walk away from your computer and refresh your mind which will help you reset so when you get back to work, you’ll stay on task. And don’t forget to eat lunch and take a brief walk outside – fueling your body and your brain is important!
Staying productive in your home office is easily accomplished when you apply these strategies to your daily work life. Take this productivity assessment from this NYC Professional Office Organizer and see how you rank.