Working from home may be the new normal for you or maybe you’re already familiar with it. Needless to say, remote work can come with unique challenges. If you’re not used to it, channeling the same level of focus that you might have in an office setting could catch you off guard. And when you’re suddenly away from the rest of your team members, the lack of collaboration and connection can also be difficult.
Although there are challenges, they can be overcome. We hope these few small tips will help reduce distractions and protect your well-being when working from home.
#1. Establish clear working hours
We are all creatures of habit. Although most of us can work from anywhere in the world, nothing beats a routine. Get up, get ready, out the door, pick up coffee and you're at the office by 8am. It’s not so simple when working from home. Distractions happen - kids, maybe your husband or pets need you - and suddenly you’ve found yourself away from your desk for an hour. First thing you need to do is set clear boundaries when you're at your desk so everyone knows it’s “work time”. It will keep you sharp and focused, allowing you to enjoy your evenings.
#2. Establish a designated work area
Having a dedicated office that is separate from the main living area is ideal. You’re cut off from the noise of the rest of the house, which allows you to focus on work and not the kids fighting in the living room. However, sometimes complete separation is not always an option. Ideally, you’ll want to choose a space that is away from your bed, kitchen and TV to minimize distractions. Although working from home may be temporary, you’ll still want to choose your space wisely since you’ll be spending a lot of time there.
#3. Clean up your work space
You may find your biggest distraction is when the space around you feels out of sorts. Clean up as much as possible at the end of your work day then take a few minutes in the morning to sort through what you want to accomplish for the day. By simply having a clean work space, you’ll stay focused on work instead of other things that might need to get done around the house.
#4. “Get ready” for work
No PJ’s or workout clothes while working from home! Believe it or not, this helps shift your mindset lounging on the couch all day to crushing your goals. Just like when we were kids, lay out your clothes the night before and you’ll have no choice in the morning to just put them on. Make sure that your alarm goes off at the same time, shower and get dressed as though you’re going to the office. It’s a simple morning routine that may even improve your focus for the rest of the day.
Make a point of logging off from your remote work at the same time you would typically leave the office. It’s easy to let your workday extend longer when you don’t have your usual commute home, but it’s important to build in time at night to rest and recharge so you can sustain your focus and production.
#5. Stay in touch with your team
Working from home can come with a feeling of isolation. You go from seeing your team members 5 days a week to not seeing them at all. Luckily with today’s technology, we can video chat or FaceTime to still keep the face-to-face connection while away from the office. Schedule a call with a team member to discuss tasks and overall well being. Checking in with your team will allow you to stay focused and still feel connected to everyone. Talking regularly to other humans is important for our productivity!
#6. Clear non-work-related browser tabs
Staying focused at work is one thing. Take yourself out of that scene and all of a sudden you forget how to stay focused. Since you’re most likely in front of your computer a majority of the day, it’s easy to get distracted by alerts from your personal email or social media. Closing any open tabs for your own personal use will keep you in “work mode” longer. Then you can decide on a few times during the day to check them, but limit your exposure when it’s time for work.
#7. Step outside to reset
When working from home, get up from your desk for a short movement break just as you might at the office. Grab a coffee, take a quick walk, play outside with the kids or just sit outside to enjoy the fresh air. This time provides a short mental reset so to ensure you remain productive for the remainder of the day.
Bottom Line
Although working from home can come with it's own set of challenges, we hope these tips will help you do your best work outside of your typical office setting. Whatever steps you take to get through any time of uncertainty, just remember we're all in this together and need to support each other!
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Well informed homeowners choose The Fontaine Homeselling System to obtain them top dollar faster, along with a stress free experience. We know buying or selling a home can be very stressful and emotional, but when you have an experienced, top-producing agent on your side, you are more likely to have a smooth and successful home sale. Contact one of our agents today to start discussing the process of selling your home and/or finding your forever home!
Fontaine Family Team
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