Have you recently quit your job to be a full-time dad? Or simply, do you telecommute at times? Regardless of the situation, your home office needs to be well set up for maximum productivity. Distractions can be numerous though, there’s laundry that needs to be done, the children are calling for attention, and on the other hand, you need to work on a few things.
How do you make your home office space conducive for working? Look out for these tips:
Set up your Office
The first most essential step towards productivity is the home office setup. Identify an extra room or quiet space that can serve as your home office. Invest in a cozy and comfortable office chair. Ensure that your office has a window for a breath of fresh air and lighting as well.
At times, to brighten up the mood, you can get a potted plant that will help you relax during your breaks.
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Have Exercise Equipment
I understand that not everybody leads an active exercising life. However, if you invested in some lightweight equipment, it would help in productivity. You could keep them in your office so that when you take short breaks, you could put in some exercises. You’ll be surprised at how reenergizing the exercises will be. They also help in proper blood circulation.
Plan your Schedule
How does your day start? How do you plan on what to work on? Planning is quite essential when it comes to productivity. Before sleeping, ensure that you plan your work schedule for the following day or even a week. Such planning helps you get organized for the day, therefore, reducing time lost.
Time Tracker
How many hours do you work from home? Some people prefer to work the typical 9-5 schedule while others prefer from 10-3. Well, depending on your line of work, you can dictate your hours. Test yourself and see how many hours you prefer working. Time tracking apps are a great selection especially to help you maintain the work discipline. Apps such as Hubstaff, Toggl, and TopTracker are an ideal choice.
In case you are a freelancer, you may find that some clients want to pay you hourly and the only way to track hours is through time tracking apps.
Find out when you are Productive
When is your concentration at its best? We all have that particular time of day when we are most productive. Some are active early in the morning, other in the afternoon; find what works for you. Such a time is when you should do work that requires maximum concentration. Don’t start with reading your emails; that can come later in the day.
Eye Rest
Working online can be quite tedious sometimes. Adequate sleep is necessary for a productive day. Ensure that you get enough sleep so that you can accomplish your intended tasks. Eye breaks are a necessity when working as this prevents them from straining. Take a timed break every 20 minutes and stare at anything that is 20 yards away from you and hold it for 20 seconds.
Decluttering Often
How often do you clean up your office? Things will always have a way of being everywhere. So, it’s natural to have unwanted stuff in your home office. Form a habit of decluttering often. Most often, there will be some unnecessary stuff occupying the home office or table.
Some people feel like they may have too much space and may opt for the home office to serve as the storage room. Resist such an urge as the place needs to be clear of any distractions.
Deal with Distractions
Working from home can be challenging most especially because of the people around. You may have an annoying neighbor who always wants to come to have a chat with you every day or a friend who is calling you every time. Setting boundaries is important.
Know how to disengage from such people firmly. Try not answering phone calls from people you know are a distraction especially during work hours unless it’s an emergency. Make people aware of your schedule and just because you don’t have an office away from home, doesn’t mean that you don’t work.
A home office is perfect as it reduces costs such as gas costs or shopping for office clothes now and them. Practice the above tips and see how productive your days will be.