How to stay focused whilst working from home
After officially a year of working from home, we have all found our way around working from the home office. With the anticipation of returning to the office, have you found yourself becoming a little more distracted?
Working from home has provided us all with many benefits for both employees and employers. Some of the benefits for employees include reduced commuting times, a better work-life balance and saving money. For employers, they may see an increase in productivity and an opportunity to attract better talent.
However, working remotely is not for everyone and there will be some days where you may find it difficult to focus from your kitchen table or home office.
Here are 7 tips on how to stay focused whilst working from home:
1. Dress for success
Although it may be tempting to stay in your pyjamas or your favourite activewear, getting dressed into non-loungewear can make a significant impact. Dressing for work, whether that is smart casual clothes or a shirt, can help get you into the right frame of mind for the working day ahead.
2. Practice the commute
One of the large benefits people enjoy about working from home is no longer commuting. However, going on a ‘fake commute’ can be a great way to prepare you for the day. Whether you pretend to go on a commute and head out for a quick walk or read a book as you would do on the train to the office. It will also help you get back into the swing of the routine if and when you head back into the office.
3. Create a to-do list
Writing down a list of tasks is a great way to visualise your tasks for the week ahead. Writing your projects down will allow you to allocate specific time in the week to complete them. Try checking in with yourself mid-week to see how you are getting on. What have you completed or what have you left to complete?
4. Take regular breaks
When working from home, it can be tempting to continue working without a break. However, this can be more damaging in the long run. Try getting up from your desk every 30 minutes and complete a small task, such as filling up your glass of water. This encourages you to step away from the desk and give you a break from the screen.
5. Put your phone on airplane mode
If you can, turning on aeroplane mode on your phone is a great way to reduce distraction. Try doing it for an hour at the best time of the day where you don’t need to make a call or send a message. This way, an impromptu message cannot distract you. You can then allocate a specific hour to getting a task completed. See how it works and then try increasing the time if your diary allows it!
6. Add in some exercise into your day
From home workouts to walking in the fresh air, exercise is both good for the body and the mind. You could incorporate this into your morning commute time or get your heart pumping in your lunch break.
7. Start and finish work at the same time every day
Just as you would do in the office, make sure you are ‘arriving’ for work and finishing your day at the same time every day. When working from home it can be easy for the work and home lines to blur. By keeping a routine, it can help you to stay focused and get your mind into the office working routine.
Whilst working from home there will be distractions throughout the day, just like the office. Don’t be too hard on yourself if you just can’t seem to focus. Take a break away from the desk, clear your mind and come back with a fresh pair of eyes. Whilst the return to ‘normality’ is becoming ever closer, working from home may be here to stay.
Are you yearning to the return to the office? We would love to know your preferred method of working longer term so we can help advise businesses as they look to map out their “new normal”. Let us know your thoughts by sharing this page on LinkedIn or sending us an email to [email protected].
