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Author: Victoria Cohen
With the rise in remote and hybrid jobs over the past few years, many of us have had to adjust to the new and everchanging work environments. If you’re someone who works from home for any portion of your week, and have found that your current routine has you feeling a bit stuck, unmotivated, or disconnected, then you’ve come to the right blog! Read below on our four favorite truly impactful tips to help boost your productivity while working from home!
1. Schedule your days
The flow of your workday becomes much more seamless when you prepare a schedule with time blocks for each task every day. We’re all very familiar with blocking off time for meetings, consultations, and events, however, scheduling dedicated time for our individual projects and tasks seems to slip past many of us. Doing so will not only keep you on track for your accomplishments, but it will also put your mind at ease. If you’re like me and you can’t live without google calendar and setting reminders, welcome to the club! If you prefer to handwrite your schedule in a planner, feel free to use that method, or whichever one works for you!
2. Create a dedicated workspace and limit distractions
Just like you “go to work” in the office, make a dedicated space in your home where you “go to work” every day. If you head to a coffee shop, or somewhere else instead, that’s totally cool too! The important thing is establishing a dedicated workspace that has all the tools necessary to complete your work. Do you need a printer or scanner? High speed internet or a secured network? A video camera? Somewhere totally quiet? Make a list of your needs to have a successful workday and dedicate a space that puts you on the path for success. Also, having a dedicated workspace and limiting distractions will keep your brain in “work” mode, so that you won’t be tempted to flip on the TV or crawl back into bed.
Have you ever been in that oh-so-amazing flow state of mind where your productivity is at an all-time high and time feels like it’s slipping away? Well, whether you have or haven’t, designing a personalized workspace can help you sink into that deeper focus, and increase productivity. Here are some things to consider
Music – Experiment with classical, instrumental, jazz, or my personal favorite – the curated lo-fi and electronic playlists on Spotify (totally not sponsored, but I do highly recommend!) Find what works for you! If you’re able to concentrate better with silence, then feel free to press pause and save the music for after work!
Lighting – Believe it or not, lighting has been linked to productivity rates. Consider how certain lighting makes you feel to craft your perfect work environment. Does bright light make you feel alert and energized? Do you prefer dim or warm lighting to help you sink into concentration? Adjust your lighting to help set the mood that boosts your concentration and productivity.
Decorations – When decorating your perfect workspace, remember that what’s there is just as important as what’s not. Too much clutter has long been known to induce stress hormones, leading to feelings of overwhelm. Bare spaces can also feel stressful, and cold for others. Focus on decorating your space with just enough pieces to make you feel engaged since you’ll most likely be spending a lot of your day here. Feel free to be creative here, but some ideas to personalize your space could be your favorite smelling candle, photos of your family and friends, plants (also great for reducing stress!), or even inspirational quotes to remind you, that you can do it!
The downside of remote work is that it can be isolating to work with little human interaction for long periods of time. While some may thrive working alone, it benefits almost everyone to connect virtually with your team at least a few times a week. Depending on your company’s structure, this may be a recurring supervision review, a team meeting to discuss goals and tasks, or other scheduled zoom meetings. Checking in with your team or supervisor will not only keep you on track, but it will also remind you of the value and purpose of the work that you are doing, which can help to increase motivation, follow-through, and ultimately your productivity levels.. Even a 5-minute phone call or text exchange can help to build rapport, not to mention receiving some virtual positive reinforcement will remind you of the awesome job you’ve been doing and encourage you to keep moving forward.