Working remotely is great. Working from home gives you freedom, and helps you avoid having to work in a boring office every day. But, working from home comes with many distractions. From social media and the TV to roommates, kids, or partners, sometimes working from home is more of a curse than a blessing.
If you find yourself constantly distracted and behind in your work, follow our tips to staying focused when working from home.
Make sure you dress for work to get yourself in the right frame of mind to be productive.
Biggest Mistakes People Make When Working from Home
There are many mistakes that people make when working from home. And, they all lead to inefficiency and missed deadlines. And, once your work starts slipping, the freedom and joy you got from working from home quickly turn into stress and anxiety. Working from home takes discipline, but once you get into a routine, working from home can bring joy and balance to your life.
Not Dressing for Work
Some of the most significant mistakes people make when working from home are not to get ready for work. Working on the couch (or the bed) while still wearing your PJ’s is the quickest way to an unproductive work day. Even though you are working from home, it is always important to get up every morning and dress for work. And, having a designated workspace in your home will help you get in the right frame of mind to be productive.
Not Setting a Schedule
Just because you’re working from home doesn’t mean that you can’t set a schedule for yourself. Having set times that you “get to work” will help you stay on track, stay focused, and be productive. Having a schedule isn’t just good for you, it’s also good for the other people living in your home.
If you have kids or roommates, it’s essential that they understand that there are certain times that you are unavailable, even though you are home. This will avoid being distracted and interrupted all day long.
If you do a few hours of work, reward yourself with a fun guitar break.
Not Taking Breaks
Reward yourself with regular breaks. Allow yourself to work hard for an hour or two, and then give yourself a well-deserved break. Regular breaks will also give you set times when you can check social media accounts, which are the number one distraction when you work at home.
Using Social Media during Work Hours
Having Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram open in the background is going to be a constant and irresistible distraction. It is going to be almost impossible to ignore new messages, new photos, or new “which vegetable are you” quizzes that pop up incessantly. We know it’s hard, but shut them all down, work really hard for a few hours, and then treat yourself to some social media interaction during your well-deserved break.
Technology for Employees Working Remotely
With the right tools and software, you can give your employees the freedom to work remotely. You need communication technology so that it is easy to stay in contact with your remote employees. And, you need organizational technology, like getting your business on the cloud and using file-sharing technology to remain efficient and productive.
The freedom to work from anywhere is sometimes more attractive to good employees than a big fat paycheck. Talk to us about getting hooked up with the right IT!
Take Note of our Holiday Hours
We will be closed for Thanksgiving on Thursday, Nov 23rd, and Friday, Nov 24th. On Christmas, we will be closed on Dec 25th and Dec 26th.
