Maintaining your productivity while you’re working from home

Working from home is not for everyone. Some people require, even need, the structure of a 9 to 5 job in an office environment.

Other workers in the UK economy are adept, even experts, at it and are able to seemingly maintain their productivity with consummate ease.

Freelancers are a prime example of this, and there is a lot to be learned from the freelance community during these current challenging times when a lot of office workers are being asked to work from home or are self-isolating and working from home.

Here is a handy checklist to refer to help you stay productive and minimise your stress levels.

Set clear work times. If you are having to work from home because of the coronavirus, or for any other reason, then it helps to keep to your regular work timetable.

Ask yourself this question, if you had one key task that you wanted to complete today what would it be?

Write it down. This is all about prioritising your work as it is too easy to get bogged down with the little jobs that come in via email that you should probably put on a backburner.

Break things down. Whatever tasks you have on your list, try to break them down into manageable chunks. That way you see and feel your making progress and the task won’t be too overwhelming.

Take regular breaks. Believe it or not, people who work from home tend to take less breaks than those who work in an office. Self-discipline works both ways, yes you need to maintain a strong work ethic, but you must also look after yourself.

Taking regular breaks will help you recharge your batteries and help you to focus on difficult tasks.

Fresh air and stretching will also help as it’s too easy to spend too much time stooped over a computer.

Stay connected. Keeping in touch with your colleagues and peers will help. If you need help or a quick chat about a task, then give them a call. Don’t feel like you’re isolated in terms of having to do all of the work yourself. Communication is key to success.

Reward yourself. Working from home can be lonely, but more importantly when you do a great job there’s no one there to see it and give you a pat on the back. So, it’s important to reward yourself for your efforts to keep your motivation up and help you maintain focus.

You can find similar helpful articles in our blog here.

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Author Phil Ainley, Marketing Manager