From pyjamas to productivity: top tips for working from home
Ah yes, the joys of working from home - staying in your PJs, no commute, flexible hours, breakfast in bed, TV, cupboards stuffed full of cake, the list goes on and on. But, if you’re not careful it can start to turn pretty unproductive very soon, leaving you feeling unmotivated and starting to loathe the four walls you live in. And if like me you run your business from home, then you have no choice but to make it work. So, read on for some top tips on how to optimise the time you work from home.
Create a dedicated space
The best home offices are ones where you have a dedicated space to work in and not on the kitchen table. Having a room where you can store your files, laptop and work paraphernalia means you can get straight to work and not be distracted by the tv or washing up. It also means you can shut the door at the end of the day and enjoy free time rather than staring at the paperwork on the kitchen table. It’s also important to ensure you have the necessary kit to enable to work safely - a good chair, laptop riser, decent lighting, lockable units etc.
Get dressed!
Are you slouching around in pyjamas? This is a big no-no. Just because you work from home doesn’t mean you have to dress unprofessionally. It’s important to get up, shower, eat breakfast, have a cuppa and browse your social media feeds; follow a routine as if you were going out to work. By the way – it’s absolutely acceptable to wear slippers. There does, after all, have to be the occasional odd perk of working from home :)
Stick to a routine
There’s no reason not to have a routine when you work from home just as you would in an office. The benefit of working from home is that you can schedule your routine exactly as it suits you. Work out when you’re more productive and aim to get the more difficult stuff done then. Perhaps you’re more productive in the morning; if so get up early and finish early. Schedule time slots for specific activities, create a to-do list, use a calendar for deadlines and crack on.
Take a break
It’s all too easy to just keep going when you work from home. You don’t have the distraction of people asking you out to lunch, but it’s super important to force yourself into taking a break. Make sure you get up from your desk and have a tasty bite to eat. Take a break, read the paper, watch the news, take the dog for a walk around the block, whatever makes you switch off for half an hour in a different room.
It’s also really important to shut the door at the end of the day to work. As entrepreneurs, we tend to always be working, but we must take a break.
Ambience
It’s YOUR office so you can decorate exactly as you please. Go mad and have stripy wallpaper if it makes you more productive. My point is that it’s easy just to dump a desk and chair in a room and get on with the job. Don’t! Make it feel like your space. Add plants, thank you notes, think about music/radio, and for those designers out there – add examples of your work. Create a space that inspires, motivates and you enjoy being in.
Avoid isolation
This is probably the most challenging aspect of working from home – the isolation. When you begin working from home, it’s hard to get used to the fact that sometimes your only contact with another human is the postman. It might be that you regularly speak to people as part of your business but if not, how can you keep in touch with actual human beings?
A great place to meet with people, get a bit of inspiration and network are co-working spaces or work hubs. They are becoming increasingly popular with work hubs popping up all over the country. Quite often you can you drop in and hot desk, and some offer the facility of a more permanent desk space, so if you really don’t like working from home you could use a work hub for minimal expenditure.
Conclusion
Working from home provides massive flexibility including the opportunity to work at the optimum time for you. But it does come with caveats; create a dedicated space with the correct equipment, lighting etc., get organised, take breaks and ensure you have regular contact with people.
Get it right, and you’ll never want to work in an office again!
