Our Favorite Tips to Help You Stay on Top of Tasks and Deadlines
For some people more than others, the struggle of balancing work and play can be hard. If that struggle describes you, this is a friendly reminder that you're not alone.
With so many distractions at home such as technology, pets, family members, and even deliveries, it can be hard to divide your time efficiently in order to accomplish all your tasks for work.
Something you may not know about Shane Shirley Media is that every one of our employees works remotely. Everyone can definitely agree it is a blessing and a curse. So we put our heads together to give our readers 10 of our favorite tips that help us stay focused and productive while working from home!
10 Tips To Stay Productive While Working From Home
1. Have a Designated Work Space
One of the main differences between working from home and working in an office is that you might not have an office at home.
It is important to create a designated workspace in your humble abode. If you don't, everywhere turns into your workspace. Our team has discovered that having a designated spot to get into "work mode" is really helpful to productivity.
I personally have found that having a space for your computer, pens, calendar, and more is a helpful way to distinguish work from play. A designated workspace is also helpful because this will help to automatically limit distractions by avoiding certain areas in the home that might not encourage productivity.
2. Create a Schedule
Because there's so much to get done and you feel like you should be able to accomplish it all, when working from home it can be easy to get overwhelmed.
The good news is that creating a daily schedule and sticking to that schedule can help fight that feeling of trying to do too many tasks at once. Working from home is not an easy thing to do. Creating a schedule even if it just reflects that you work from 10-6 every day and set specific times for breaks can help you stay focused and productive.
3. Take Breaks
Like I just mentioned, when creating a schedule it's also important to give yourself allotted time frames to take a break from work.
By creating a schedule and setting times for breaks each day both those inhibitors are eliminated. Breaks are also a great way to give yourself energy boosts and or help you stay motivated.
4. Have a Morning Routine
Having a morning routine is vital for success throughout the day while working from home. Would you go to your in-person office right after jumping out of bed? I sure hope you said no...
Having that time in the morning to essentially prep yourself for the day with a workout, a shower, coffee, breakfast, or whatever floats your boat is so important. Starting your workday in a positive, motivated mindset is key to keep the focus and productive trend throughout the day.
And remember...absolutely NO PAJAMAS!!!
5. Make a To-Do List
As silly as it may sound, making a to-do list is actually super helpful when it comes to managing your workload. Use that list to rank the importance of tasks. Plus, the feeling of crossing an accomplished task off the list will continue to motivate you to do more.
There are many ways to keep a list. You can use your notes on your phone, use a notebook, and my personal favorite is to use sticky notes. I keep a running to-do list in my notebook for the bigger tasks that I know I have to accomplish over a period of time, and all my daily tasks go on a sticky note as I think of them.
There truly is no better feeling than being able to crumple up that sticky note and throw it into the trash can across the room pretending like it's basketball and YOU hit the game-winning three!
6. Get Outside
Leaving the house is something I have found to be a great relief when it comes to managing working at home.
Typically with an in-person job you obviously have to leave your house to get to work, you might run some errands, or get lunch but at the least, you get outside.
When working from home, it is easy to get carried away with work and forget the little things in life...like fresh air!
It has been found that there are health benefits to getting outside such as increased energy, lower stress levels, and even improved memory according to this article in Forbes.
7. Fit in Socializing
Everyone needs their daily dose of human contact. In fact, if you didn't already know, we are social beings by nature and that has been proven time and time again.
When it comes to working from home, socializing might be on the decline due to interacting only with immediate family and friends.
Without office interactions, group lunch outings, and various interactions throughout the day, you might find yourself feeling lonely. Oftentimes, people with minimal socialization experience depression and anxiety.
It is important when working from home, to reach out to friends, get out of the house, and try to socialize as much as possible.
8. Listen to Music
Listening to music while working might not be for everyone, but it is actually proven to increase productivity.
With some variations in the style of music being used as background noise, music has been shown to lower anxiety, increase productivity and so much more.
Listening to various classical music and study playlists while working has helped me time and time again and I hope it helps you too!
9. Set Ground Rule with Friends and Family
Sometimes the biggest challenge to working from home is your family and friends. Those closest to you forget that you aren't just hanging out at home all day with nothing to do. They sometimes expect you to run errands or ask favors of you that you wouldn't normally be able to do if you worked in an office.
Setting these types of ground rules goes hand in hand with creating a daily schedule.
10. Don't Be Afraid to Take Time Off
This tip might be the hardest to follow because, with so much to do, it is difficult to feel like it is okay to give yourself a break. Do you find yourself not being able to remove yourself from work whether it be for five minutes or a week-long vacation? Is it almost like your computer and cell phone have become your security blanket?It can be difficult to take time off due to fear, guilt, and workplace pressure. Research shows many health benefits to taking a nice break from work including increased productivity, lower stress, and better mental health.
Do not be afraid to take time away from work. You deserve that vacation and don't let yourself or anyone else guilt you into thinking otherwise.
Find Out What Works For You
These 10 tips are some of our favorites at Shane Shirley Media but it is important to understand that they might not work for everyone.
If you are struggling to work from home remember that you are not alone.
Reach out to friends who might be in the same boat, suggest our 10 tips, and see what is currently working for them!
Leave a comment below with any tips you've found helpful!
Guest Post by Reece Smith
Fultara Sometimes the biggest challenge to working from home is your family and friends. Those closest to you forget that you aren't just hanging out at home all day with nothing to do. They sometimes expect you to run errands or ask favors of you that you wouldn't normally be able to do if you worked in an office.
ReplyDeleteSoooo true! That is wy it is good to set boundaries.
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