More people than ever have started working from home. Many organizations and individuals did not have enough time to prepare for work at home and maintain the same productivity in telecommuting as in the office.
Most of those who started working from home for the first time, as well as those who already did it regularly, have discovered the advantages that telecommuting can offer. However, there are also many distractions when we have the office at home, which can prevent focused work.
7 tips to help you stay productive while telecommuting
A new task environment, with no close supervision and numerous distractions, can
quickly make your work unproductive. Therefore, we bring you 5 tips that will allow you to maintain productivity while telecommuting:
1. Create a suitable work area and maintain it properly
Most of the time, what makes it difficult to maintain productivity in telecommuting is not having a suitable work area . Anyone lucky enough to have a self-contained space at home is in a better position to telecommute than anyone else.
It is important that, if you do not have the possibility of a separate work space , you set aside an area just to work with as few distractions as possible. In this way, you will be able to concentrate during the time you spend working from home .
2. Establish a work schedule to improve your productivity in telecommuting
At home, the boundaries between work and leisure are often blurred. If you’re not careful, you’ll work twenty-four hours a day, or conversely, you may work fewer hours than you should. In both cases it is impossible to maintain high productivity in teleworking.
Therefore, you must establish working hours for yourself and coordinate with your company the time in which you will be available. In addition, you must force yourself not to read any more work emails after the defined work hours have ended, as well as to comply with your work activities during the established hours.
3. Create a daily routine
Regardless of whether you work from home or go in person, you need to create a daily routine. This will help you more easily accomplish the activities of the day. Get up at a certain time each day, take a shower and have a balanced breakfast, it is the perfect start to a working day.
Dress appropriately for your job and avoid house clothes or pajamas for work. Not only does this give you more energy and attitude to work, you’ll also be prepared if you need to spontaneously make a video call .
4. A reliable internet connection is key to remote work productivity
An internet connection with a high data rate is the digital link with your company. This will allow you to maintain productivity in remote work, as well as the possibility of transferring large amounts of data without interruptions. If you often have to attend video conferences or meetings, a fast Internet connection is an essential element to ensure the quality of the sessions.
To be able to work remotely, sometimes you also need to use mobile internet. Your mobile phone can act as an internet access point, but it always keeps track of your data so you don’t run out of it too quickly. Of course, whenever you can, use a secure Wi-Fi network to avoid data consumption . This way you can maintain effective communication with your bosses and co-workers.
5. Exercise regularly and take care of your diet to increase your productivity
If you no longer have to walk to the office, see your partner, go to the coffee machine or copier, you move much less each day. Look for alternatives at home to exercise.
Exercise and healthy eating keep you active and moving. Physical exercise makes you have greater clarity to think and, consequently, increase productivity in teleworking and work performance.
6. Create a to-do list for things you need to get done each day
Because it’s easy to get off task while working from home, having a checklist of things you need to do will help you visualize your progress. It’s much easier to stay productive while working remotely if you can see your progress as you complete tasks.
7. Don’t procrastinate
Look at your to-do list and do everything on it. Don’t do the 90% and tell yourself you’ll finish it tomorrow. You will create a cycle where things are constantly being delayed for another day that will be very difficult to get out of. If you are already behind in delivering projects or documents, this can set you back even further. GTD methodologies can be of great help to you.