The COVID-19 outbreak has caused many businesses to enact a work-from-home policy. With so many people working from home, we thought it would be a good idea to write up some simple tips to follow to give yourself the best chance of being productive. 

Establish Your Workspace

The very first thing you need to do is set aside a workspace. It's hard to focus on your job if you are on a laptop in the living room in front of your entertainment center, or if the only place you have is your bedroom. One of the most distracting elements of being home are the modern comforts you’ve outfitted the place with. Find a place where you can be productive and use it.

Don’t Burnout

There is the tendency for workers that normally work in an office, but are forced to work from home, to overdo it. The theory is that most people would love the flexibility to work from home on occasion and when they get the opportunity, they spend more time than they should working. This can have negative effects on both their ability to focus and on the business’ payroll. If you are home working, work as you would at the office and walk away when it’s time.

If You Are Going Casual, Don’t Go TOO Casual

As a part of your normal work routine, you probably need to wash yourself and get dressed. At the very least you need to put on pants. When working from home, many people neglect to do that and it actually has an effect on their work. As a part of your pre-work routine you should wash up and dress yourself as if you were going to the office. You’ll feel, and likely perform better.

2. Encourage Co-working

Make Collaboration the Standard

With collaboration fueling a lot of businesses, when people work from home it is essential that there is solid communication going on. This will ensure that people are working on the things they need to, they are on the same page, and that they have an outlet from being stuck inside their house for days (or weeks) on end.

Stay Connected and Communicate Constantly

Following the same line of thought, to avoid falling into a non-productive routine, you should reach out to people in your company to gain some perspective on what they are working on. The more knowledge you can gain about your contemporaries’ priorities, the better you can be at filling in the gaps.

3. Commit to Working Productively

Schedule to Your Advantage

Working from home brings some additional flexibility. You may be expected to work your normal business hours, but if you find yourself falling into some bad habits or being complacent in the middle of the work day, figure out the times that you work most effectively. If you aren’t on the same schedule, you’ll likely get more done when you feel like working than working when you are distracted.

Don’t Get Distracted

Speaking of distractions, your home is filled with them. Sometimes it’s hard to make the transition to working in the main place you go to relax. There are all types of distractions from family to media to simple household chores. Commit to work when you work and you will find that you will likely get more done in that time than any time you spend at your office. 

For more great tips and tricks, return to our blog each week.