5 Tips to Stay Productive When Working From Home

Working from home is an experience that is quite the opposite of working in an office. Between the flexibility and customization that comes with working from home, there are some challenges that also come with this work decision. For those who are currently working from home (or are about to make the switch), here are some tips to help you stay productive.

1. Cut Out Distractions - Every person has different things that distract or bother them. So before you clock in for the day, go out of your way to try and limit these distractions. For example, if you hate hearing loud noises while you work, don’t run noisy appliances, keep the television off, and tell anyone else who is home to be extremely quiet for the next few hours.
2. Check Your Email Less - A lot of time can be wasted by checking your email too frequently. It’s not wise to check emails while in the middle of tasks because it can distract your train of thought and even pull you away from the task altogether. The best way to deal with checking your email is to only do it at certain times of the work day. Check it when you clock in, at set times throughout the day, and right before you clock out.
3. Stay Focused - Working from home can cause you to become distracted more easily because you’re in a more relaxed setting where you mind can wander off. To stay on task, time yourself with every task you set out to complete. By constantly timing yourself, you’ll limit unnecessary downtime and be more efficient.
4. Stick to Your Work Hours - Since working from home offers you flexibility with your work hours (not in every instance), you’ll be able to set work hours that are best suited for you. Just be sure to stick to these hours and not work in pieces throughout the day. You don’t want to end up getting less done than you could have OR cheating yourself of your personal time. Treat your home office as you would a real office.
5. Don’t Make Time for Leisure - Since you’re working from home, you’ll have the opportunity to do things that people in the office can’t do. You’ll be able to make doctor, hair, car, or dentist appointments in the middle of the day when it’s less busy. While this might take less time now than if you were to go after work, you don’t want to make this into a habit. Have you ever heard of the saying, “If you take an inch you’ll take a mile?”

Productivity should always be high no matter where you work, but it can be challenging when you are working from home. For those working from home, you may want to consider VoIP to make communicating easier AND cheaper. To learn more about VoIP phone systems or to schedule a free estimate with Reliable Voice & Data Systems, give us a call at (877) 385-6657.

Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+!