Working From Home? Use These Time Management Strategies
Working from home sounds like a dream, right? No need to set your alarm clock for before the sun comes up, the ability to work from your bed in your pajamas all day… that’s how it is when you work from home, right? Not exactly. Unfortunately, if you already struggle with time management, working from home only amplifies the challenges. If you are someone who needs support with focus and productivity when working from home, then these strategies from this NYC Professional Office Organizer are for you.
Schedule time for work. Set a start and end time to your day. Sure, working from home comes with the opportunity for flexibility, but you’ll find that when you schedule time specifically for working, you’ll be very focused and ready to tackle your to-do list. Without a scheduled plan in place, you’ll find it easy to step away from your desk to address household or personal chores that should be saved for later. Schedule that time and stick with it!
Keep personal separate from business. When you are working, focus only on your work tasks. Trying to multi-task and do the laundry while you are deep in the middle of a project will be distracting and potentially cause you to miss important steps. Instead, you can (and should!) take breaks during your day. During those times, you can focus on small but essential household tasks, take a peek at your personal social media accounts, and look at the mail. When it’s time to get back down to work, set those personal tasks aside until the end of your work day.
Declutter your home office space. It’s hard to stay efficient in a cluttered space! Since your home office most likely doubles as a work space and the focal point for managing your household, you need to stay organized. Take time to remove all items that should be stored in other places in your home and set limits on what items can take up space. When you can, keep personal items stored away from your primary workspace so you aren’t distracted when working on a project.
Keep your desk organized. Where do you do most of your work? It should be at your desk. Keep that space organized and clutter free so that when you sit down to work, there are no distractions and nothing to sidetrack you. At the end of each day, take a few minutes to clear your desk so that when you start work the following day, you are ready to immediately dive right in.
Time management in your home office doesn’t have to be difficult. If you are ready for more hands-on help and strategies that fit your unique needs, reach out to your NYC Professional Office Organizer today.