People seem to think that working from home is incredibly easy. There is the impression that people who work from home do nothing all day but that is actually quite far from the truth. In order to work at home, people need to be able to work without getting distracted.
There is essentially no boss to keep you on track and you need to be able to work independently and govern yourself. If you are new to working from home and you are looking for advice on how to work effectively, here are 7 tips to help you get started on being more productive at home.
7 Tips for Working Effectively At Home
Make a Plan for Your Day
You really need to plan out your “workday”. This means that you decide which hours you are going to work between. For instance, some people choose to work between 9-5, choosing typical work hours.
Choose whatever time works for you and sticks with it for consistency purposes.
Once you get your work times settled, you need to make a plan for your day. Prioritize your work so that you can get everything that you need done by the end of the day.
Get Dressed Everyday
A lot of people find that something so simple as going through the process of getting ready in the morning before you begin work. This includes showering and getting dressed for your day. Some studies have shown that people are more productive when they are not still in their pajamas all day.
Get a Little Help from Time Management Tools
There is actually time tracking software like TimeCamp. TimeCamp can actually be a very useful tool for increasing your productivity. This can help you to track your profits and your clients and projects. It also helps you with billing and other things to make sure that you are making a good amount of money and completing all of your projects to make sure your clients are happy.
Leave the House for a Little Bit Each Day
When people work outside of the home, they get the benefit of being able to leave their house for their work shift and then come home after their day.
People who work from home do everything there, which may sound like a dream for some but may make you a little bit crazy from being in your house all of the time.
Even if that means going out for lunch every day during your shift, just do something outside of the house for a little bit every day to keep you sane.
Create an Office Space
It is really essential that you create an area that is your “office space”, whether it is in its own room or just a space someplace so that you can get your stuff done. Get yourself a comfortable set up with a good desk and seating option. Staying on the couch all the day is really bad for your productivity.
Stay Out of the Kitchen
It is easy to want to frequently sneak away to the kitchen anytime you are feeling a little hungry. This is not only going to hurt your productivity but this is also an unhealthy habit to get into. Imagine that you’re eating one meal per one hour, just to fill the hours at work with something. You would be instantly overweight…
Check in with Clients Regularly
Just as you would in an office, you want to make sure that you are constantly in contact with your clients or bosses/coworkers. This is important to maintain a relationship. And the boss will be also extra delighted that even when you’re at home the business is still going on!