More people and companies have tried remote working or studying over recent years. Many have found such a change quite fulfilling. However, a common fear among all new remote workers and their bosses is the lack of productivity. Some students, as well as employers and employees, still believe that the office environment is perfect for working. Well, we can prove them wrong. In truth, a well-organized workspace at home can be much better than any office desk. So, here are some tips on how to have the most productive time working from home.
Table of Contents
Get comfortable
No rule says you can’t be comfortable while working. People will perform better when they enjoy the workplace they work from. Hence, find ways to get as comfortable as possible without falling asleep. Of course, start with finding the proper office chair and the right desk. The chair should support your back and be the right height. You should be able to sit straight with your legs firmly on the ground. Consider getting a chair with elbow support. Overall, a lovely sitting posture will prevent any back or knee pains.
Your desk should be the correct width and height. The former will help you place everything you need on a desk, such as a laptop or a computer, monitor, keyboard, notebooks, files, etc. You don’t want a cramped space. Also, how comfortably you can place everything on a desk will determine how well you can maintain a perfect posture while working.
Lighting
Somehow, people tend to neglect the importance of lighting in their workspaces. Well, that’s a mistake. Proper lighting will help you focus and feel energized while working. Choose the wrong light, and you will suffer from frequent headaches, sleepiness, and lack of motivation sooner than you know.
Of course, the best lighting is natural. So, your first option is to put an office desk in a well-lighted room or close to a window. Another option is to get a desk lamp. Finally, choose cooler lights as they are best for concentrating and staying productive. Don’t go for overly bright or white, though. It will make you feel like you are in a hospital, and the light will hurt your eyes.
Eliminate any distractions
You can’t work when you are getting constantly distracted. At work, you may have chatty colleagues, a disruptive environment, too many unnecessary meetings, etc. At home, you may have pets, family, or loud neighbors. You should strive to reduce any distractions that are in your power. So, explain your working hours to the family. Keep overly affectionate and active pets in another room or crate while working. Perhaps, purchase noise-canceling headphones and put some relaxing music on.
Declutter and organize
Don’t accept a messy and cluttered workspace. A cluttered desk means a chaotic mind. It’s the opposite of being productive at home. So, make a habit of starting each working session with a brief decluttering routine. See what no longer serves you and remove it. Such a habit is the only way to keep your workspace functional and neat.
In addition, keeping away the clutter leaves more room for various desk organizers and other useful items, like folders, boxes for storing, etc. Having a specific place for all your work items will save you time and energy. For example, students can keep their notes on each subject in different folders on the desk. It is best to organize a personal storage system for greater convenience.
Keep a to-do list on your desk.
To stay productive, you need a working routine, a schedule, and a calendar of all your important dates, deadlines, and work events. So, why don’t you put it somewhere in your workspace so it is visible and reachable at any time? You may purchase a small whiteboard or corkboard to put all your to-dos. Your other option is to keep a notebook with all your plans on the desk. Otherwise, you may forget about something of importance and risk it with no time left.
That’s when students start to wonder about writing services and think, “is papersowl legit?” after reading online reviews. And although young people can rely on papersowl service, they could prevent such stresses with better organizational skills. So, consider using your wall space over the desk to enhance your organization.
Create working rules
Working from home can get challenging for inexperienced remote workers. Office-based jobs set clear boundaries (more or less) on when and where you work, rest, socialize with coworkers, etc. Work at home doesn’t come with such rules. Hence, it’s up to each individual to set boundaries on how you want to work. For example, make a rule not to enter your office unless you have work to do. This way, your working space won’t lose its special meaning with time.
Next, you can set specific periods when you can work and leave a working space. Thus, you don’t overwork and have good boundaries by protecting your time. Many remote employees face burnout in the first six months of working from home due to a lack of borders between personal life and work. So stay up late, finish all their tasks, and work longer hours than they did in the office.
Lastly, make sure to have breaks and differentiate the working you from home. For example, wearing different clothes ‘to work’ may help you find the right mindset and stay more productive.
Bottom line
Overall, each person will determine how they enjoy remote work and whether it’s the proper adjustment to their needs. Still, creating a well-organized working space while keeping a productive routine and setting clear work-life boundaries is a good start. Only after doing things right will you truly see all the benefits of working from home, which is many.
For example, you get to personalize it to your needs and wishes here. Next, you can control the number of distractions, the number of breaks, and the pace of work sessions, depending on your liking. Finally, you don’t have to commute but create a perfect office close to your very own bedroom.
